Focus on the Family Magazine - August/September 2020

HACKS & FACTS / BACK TO SCHOOL
Helping Kids Start the
School Day Right
Here’s what I do to get my 5- and 6-year-old out
the door for school on time:
• We pick out their clothes the night before,
including socks, shoes and jackets.
• We pack their backpacks and set them by the
door. This includes gathering permission slips
and homework the night before.
• We establish a set bedtime routine. A good
night’s sleep is essential for my kids.
• I often put on lively Christian music to help
them get into a more energetic beat, especially
on dark or dreary mornings.
• I avoid nagging my kids out the door. If we run
late, we adjust the schedule for the next day to
give us more time.
—Rose Thoman
Our Family’s Weekly
Activity Calendar
On Sunday evenings before the busy week
begins, I sit down and enter my son’s activities
into a calendar template I created on my
computer. I include important school and
transportation reminders, appointments and
after-school activities. Since I use the same
template each week, there is a minimal amount
of new information I need to add on a weekly
basis, and I can update the original file if we
have longer-term schedule changes.
After creating the new calendar, I take a few
minutes to discuss it with my husband and my
son, and then I post it on the door to our garage.
This way everyone can see the calendar and
anticipate our schedule for the upcoming week.
—Kimberly Wells
DEMACHY / STOCK.ADOBE.COM
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FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
August / September 2020