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How to Make the Back to School Transition Fun for Kids

This week I was excited to be back on set at the FOX 5 San Diego studio for a segment on how to make the back to school transition fun for kids. I loved being interviewed by Shally Zomorodi about this topic since it’s something every parent and every child deals with every year for 12+ years!

 

 

Below is a glimpse of the questions I was asked LIVE on the air, with even more tips that I didn’t have time to share during the segment!

 

 

 

How do you get the kids excited for the transition?

 

We make it playful and fun! We make a list of all the positive aspects of school. I text their friends’ parents to see who will be in their class, we plan a special back to school play date with friends, we go back to school shopping, and we even do a practice run a few days before school starts of what the first day will look like! We also create a back to school time capsule that they can add to throughout their grade/year! And we go to the grocery store and they get to pick out “special” snacks for their first week of school, like snacks I don’t typically buy throughout the year! 

 

What helps you feel prepared?

 

I always like to start transitioning one week in advance. We slowly start going to bed earlier and earlier each night so we are at our ideal time the night before school starts. We like to go back to school shopping at least a week in advance to make sure they have everything they need like a backpack, lunch box, water bottle, supplies, first day of school outfit, etc. I also make sure I plan out my calendar/schedule and try to not plan anything extra the first week of school like doctor or dentist appointments, etc. We also practice getting up earlier a few days before, eat breakfast, and head out the door to go somewhere like the park or the grocery store at the same time as we would on a school day just to start gaining morning momentum!

 

How do you help the kids feel prepared?

 

I have the kids pick out and decorate a “homework” spot in the house where they want to come home and spend time after school. Even if they don’t have homework, this will be their reading spot. They can decorate with a pillow, a blanket, a poster, and maybe some books, art supplies, and school supplies! They also put name stickers on all of their belongings and lay out their first day of school outfit and their backpacks etc. the day before. 

 

The Summer went fast, do you have any  ideas to celebrate the end?

 

Yes! This is my favorite part about going back to school. I always let my kids pick a summer finale activity to celebrate the end of summer. It’s kind of a play-based “YES” day for them! Parents can make a list of pre-approved activities for their children to pick 1-2 from for one last summer finale activity! Again, each child in the family should pick their own special activity, unless you have more than 4 children, then you can group them by age or preference of activity. I suggest going to the beach, going to the pool, going to the park, going on a hike, or going to get ice cream or frozen yogurt! Then plan to do this activity a few days before school starts!

 

You like to plan a special 1st Day, what are ways to do that?

 

First I let my kids pick out a new first day of school outfit. Then we usually get frozen yogurt or ice cream after school with a friend/s so they have something to look forward to after the finish their first day. And sometimes they even pick out where they want to go to dinner or get to pick the dinner that they want me to make at home.

 

How do you keep the excitement going?

 

Each year I have my kids pick out a new subscription to a magazine like Highlights, National Geographic Kids or something similar. It’s exciting because they get something new each fall that lasts throughout the entire school year that belongs to just them. You can also sign your kids up for a new class each year to try new sports or activities like a new art or music class.

 

 

 

If you want to watch the full segment, CLICK HERE! 

 

 

Have any other ideas? I’d love to know!!  

 

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Hello! I am Dr. Kim and I am The Parentologist! I am first and foremost a wife and a mom. I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. I hope through my professional and personal experience we can collaborate with each other on how to better ourselves and our relationships with our families and our children.

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TODAY.com Parenting Team Parenting Contributor

About Dr. Kim

Hello! I am Dr. Kim and I am The Parentologist! I am first and foremost a wife and a mom. I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. I hope through my professional and personal experience we can collaborate with each other on how to better ourselves and our relationships with our families and our children. Read More…

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🇺🇸 What a monumental day in history we had t 🇺🇸 What a monumental day in history we had today! 🇺🇸

As soon as we woke up I started educating my children, specifically my daughter, on what the inauguration meant and why today was such a special day in history. We both were glued to the television as we watched @kamalaharris be sworn in as the first Black South Asian woman Vice President and @joebiden be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. We also were powerfully moved hearing @amandascgorman - the youngest inaugural poet in history recite “The Hill We Climb.” 

My daughter was so excited to participate and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the rest of the county and she was so proud to see and be a part of history in the making. I haven’t been to Washington D.C. in about 8 years but I promised I would take her one day when the pandemic is over. 

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Throwing it back to one of the first mommy and me photos I ever posted on my feed because I’ve been teaching my daughter about gratitude since she was this little, possibly even younger (she is two here for reference)! 

Gratitude is such an important virtue and must have trait to build a child’s character. It also shows therapeutic benefits when you show gratitude to others, so why wouldn’t you want to make it a priority to teach and instill in your children? 

In this blog, I have suggestions for how to teach children gratitude broken down by ages and stages from infancy to teenage years, while also including some conversation prompts, and links to my favorite gratitude journals for busy families that we use here at home! 

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I am that mom who wants to do it all and when I get overwhelmed or start suffering from a major case of burnout, I feel guilty if I take a break instead of giving my body and mind permission to slow down or even stop. 

As moms we often feel guilty if we take a break or believe we are perceived as weak if we ask for help. I have learned that the more I ask for help and the more time I take for myself, the better I am for my children. 

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I am so excited to have all of these new items from the @erincondren Hello Kitty collection that launched today to keep work fun, playful, and reminiscent of childhood - something all adults need a little more of, am I right? 

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For the last 3 years I have spent my career therapeutically helping families and children of all ages on the Autism Spectrum. Play has been a fundamental way for many of my clients to communicate if they are non-verbal. And some of my clients have had to be taught how to play with a toy or another person. The play ideas listed on the blog can be used with children with or without special needs. Play is a universal way a child can explore their world in a way that makes sense to them and cultivate imagination, creativity, and fun! As a Registered Play Therapist, I love the work I do and couldn’t be prouder of the progress my clients have made with play over the years! #drkimblog
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As a Registered Play Therapist, play is the foundation to the way I help children conceptualize and conquer the world. Play is second nature to children and the way they respond to many of life’s obstacles. Sometimes as parents, it is easy to get into a power match with your children, especially when you want your children to comply with a request and they won’t budge. When this happens, we need to change the way our adult mind thinks and switch it to the way a child thinks. Instead of giving them a punitive consequence, try these play recommendations that can be used with children as young as toddlerhood all the way to adolescents! #drkimblog 
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