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This blog post discusses the importance of establishing a school night ritual to help kids get back into a routine and prepare for the next day, and offers tips for creating a ritual that works for your family.
As a mom of three, I know how important it is to get our kids back into a routine after the summer or winter break. One way to make the transition a little smoother is by establishing a proper school night ritual.
A school night ritual is basically a set of activities that we do every night before bed to help our kids wind down and prepare for the very next day. It can be as simple as reading a sweet bedtime story, brushing teeth, saying our prayers and packing their bags for the next day.
There are so many benefits to having a school night routine. For one, it can help our kids get a better night’s sleep. A consistent bedtime routine can help them fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. It can also help with organization – by getting into the habit of packing their bags and laying out their clothes for the next day, we can make the morning rush a little less hectic.
But perhaps the biggest benefit of a school night ritual is the sense of structure and routine it provides. It can be comforting for our kids to know exactly what they need to do every night to get ready for bed and the next day. And when they feel more in control, they’re less likely to feel stressed out.
So, if you’re looking for a way to make the start of the school year a little easier, consider establishing a school night ritual for your kids. It’s a small step that can make a big difference in helping them get back into the swing of things after the holidays and time off!
The Importance Of A School Night Ritual
As a very busy momma, I can attest to the fact that a school night ritual can be a game-changer for our kids. It’s a set of activities that we do every night before bed to help them wind down and prepare for the next day, and it can have so many benefits – highly recommend it.
For one, a school night ritual can help our kids get a better night’s sleep. A consistent bedtime routine can help them fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly, which is important for their physical and mental well-being.
A school night ritual can also help with organization. By getting into the habit of packing their bags and laying out their clothes for the next day, we can make the morning rush a little less hectic. And let’s be real, anything that helps reduce the morning chaos is a win in my book.
But perhaps the biggest benefit of a school night ritual is the sense of structure and routine it provides. It can be comforting for our kids to know exactly what they need to do every night to get ready for bed and the next day. And when they feel more in control, they’re less likely to feel stressed out.
So, if you’re looking for a way to make the start of the school year a little easier, consider establishing a school night ritual for your kids. It’s a small step that can make a big difference in helping them get back into the swing of things.
Tips for Creating a School Night Ritual
As a mom of three, I can tell you that establishing a school night ritual isn’t always easy. It takes time and effort to get into the habit of doing it every night. But trust me, it’s worth it.
So, if you’re ready to give it a try, here are a few tips for creating a school night ritual that works for your family:
Make it consistent: Choose a set of activities that you do every night, and try to stick to them as closely as possible. This can help your kids know what to expect and get into the routine more easily.
Make it enjoyable: Your school night ritual doesn’t have to be all about chores and responsibilities. Make sure to include some fun activities that your kids will look forward to, like reading a bedtime story or playing a quiet game together.
Make it age-appropriate: Your school night ritual should be tailored to your kids’ ages and needs. For younger kids, you might include more activities like baths and story time, while older kids might benefit more from independent tasks like packing their bags and getting their homework done.
Make it flexible: It’s okay to be flexible with your school night ritual – after all, life doesn’t always go as planned. But try to keep the core activities consistent, and be willing to adjust if something isn’t working for your family.
With a little planning and patience, you can create a school night ritual that helps your kids wind down, prepare for the next day, and get the rest they need to thrive.
A Simple School Night Ritual
We have a fairly strict school night routine and we always start it the same way, with a bath and a bedtime snack.
I know what you’re thinking, the kids ate dinner, why should they get a snack? Well a child with a full tummy is more likely to follow directions and fall asleep easy, so in my opinion, a bedtime snack is important. You’ll make the right decision for your own family though, you don’t have to follow MY routine.
Our routine starts at 7pm with a shower or a bath. We wash up every second evening.
7:00 – Shower/bath
7:15 – Bedtime snack
7:25 – Brush teeth, wash face, use the toilet
7:30 – Grab fresh glasses of water for the bedside table
7:35 – Read a story aloud
7:45 – Time to sleep
It’s a pretty “tight” routine, but I made it this way so there is no room for wandering around which leads to distracted kids that are impossible to round back up.
Most of the nights go according to plan but the most important thing that leads to the success of this routine is consistency.
Another thing to note is even though your children could be old enough to go through this routine on their own, you may want to be right there to supervise closely and lend a helping hand if needed. For example, brushing teeth could be a simple task but you may end up with a pretty yucky sink afterwards. If you help your child out, you can quickly wipe the sink down, making your life of keeping a clean home much less stressful.
You can assist your child with the pajamas if you like as well, but always encourage them to do things on their own, so that their confidence grows daily.
See also: Brilliant Sleep Clocks For Toddlers
Ensuring Your Little One Gets The Rest They Need
When setting up a school night ritual, you’re going to want to keep in mind the amount of sleep your child requires.
For example, according to WEBMD a 3-6 year old requires 10-12 hours of sleep per night. This means that if they are waking up at 7am for school in the morning, they should be asleep by 7pm the night before at the latest.
This chart is from the AAP directly:
For more information on how much sleep children need, click this link here.
See also: The Secret To An Easy Bedtime Routine For Toddlers
When To Start Preparing Your Child For Earlier School Mornings After A Long Break
After a long break from learning such as Summer or Spring break when many families take a break from routines as well, you’ll want to introduce routine back into your lives a minimum of 1 week before school starts back up.
Now you could be thinking that’s a long time, and if the children are homeschooled you may not want to start a routine at all. Routines are really important, they actually help children know what to expect from their day and this kind of structure and knowledge helps reduce tantrums and bad attitude.
The one important thing about routines is that they don’t just magically happen to change your life overnight. It may take a whole week to get your child to properly adjust to a new routine, and there could be some resistance at first from your children about the whole thing. The important thing is you don’t give up, and adjust the routine if it is truly not working out for you.
Feel free to use our nightly routine as a guide. You may need to adjust your timing that suits your needs better. We like to keep things on a tighter schedule when things need to actually get done, but it’s been successful for us for years so we won’t be changing it or relaxing the timeline on it anytime soon.
