3 Ways Parents & Babysitters Can Tackle Back-to-School Excitement Together

The backpacks and school buses roll out as the Autumn season rolls around. Another academic year is about to begin. While you spend the summer the same way you do year-round, the kids are on an epic 60-day vacation. There is no question your kiddos are dreading the first day of school. Not only do they love sleeping in, but they are most likely feeling a blob of emotions about it.

In many cases, children can feel anxiety towards unknown experiences, and the first day of school is one of those. Just think about the years you were about to enter a brand-new classroom and remember how intimidating it can be. You know your kids best, but your babysitter may find it challenging to up the enthusiasm for the start of a new school year. No need to fear parents- here are three fool-proof ways your babysitter can tackle the back-to-school excitement at home.

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#1. Ease in Slowly 

The best way to segue into the early mornings is to push bedtime back slowly. You can encourage your babysitter to consistently prepare the kids for bed earlier to ensure they can comfortably adapt to a routine.  Let’s face it, kids of all ages love to stay up past bedtime, so slowly putting them to bed fifteen to twenty minutes earlier each night a few weeks before school is a trouble-free method to avoid the bedtime battles. Your babysitter can make bedtime fun and educational by reading books related to the upcoming curriculum and connecting them to their current interests. If your child is a science fan, have your babysitter consider finding science books based on their upcoming grade level. The most important thing to consider is your child’s feelings about school and consistently have conversations as time progresses. If they feel nervous or scared, your babysitter can pick school-themed books featuring adventures and friends. Be sure to soak up those last few weeks of summer, continue planning easy summer activities, and mix these suggestions in.

#2. Engage in Activities, Crafts, and More

Arts and crafts are always a go-to babysitting activity, so why not make it school-related? Your babysitter can swap out the outdoor summer crafts to engage in preparation for the school year. A few fun activities to consider are creating bookmarks, decorating bookbags with patches, and crafting colorful name tags for the first day. They can use washi tape, stickers, and markers to fully personalize their items and have them ready to show off to new friends. New friendships are an intimidating aspect of a new school year; this activity can also aid in teaching your kids how to share for upcoming classwork and ease comfortably into the group dynamic.  Your babysitter can also help reduce the nerves by helping the little ones pick out first-day-of-school outfit options. They can embrace their inner fashionista and feel confident when meeting new faces. If you have not yet purchased school supplies, school shopping is another great way to create excitement. Your babysitter can gather the gang and hit the stores. Target, Walmart, or your local Dollar Tree are great options for affordable school supplies. The kids have a perfect opportunity to pick out items they want to show off to new friends in the classroom.

#3. Celebrate Past Milestones

A great way to encourage excitement is to reflect on past achievements from previous school years. If you have held onto items from the academic year before, pass them along to your babysitter and display their achievements around the house. This is a great way to jog your child’s memory; and remind them of their accomplishments to encourage a confident mentality going into the new year. This way, your babysitter can begin conversations about your child’s feelings after introducing past materials. By bringing up past experiences and asking your child how they felt about them, the conversations can shift from past to present. The best way to settle your child’s feelings is to address any concerns that may be in the way of excitement. Celebrate past accomplishments, introduce new goals, and share expectations for the upcoming year. Your child may feel more comfortable sharing feelings with your babysitter because they are like friends, making it a perfect opportunity to discuss any uneasy feelings before the school year begins. If your kids are in the pre-teen stages, maybe they are less interested in having open conversations with the babysitter. Consider sharing these tips with your babysitter to help them find the right approach when talking about the upcoming year to their tweens.

Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be hard. Although the experience may come with some challenges, your babysitter is a great asset in easing the stressors that come with it.  You can ease the concerns of excitement for the kids and shift your focus to your excitement of seeing your kids succeed another year.