search icon
school-back.jpg

Back To School Tips for a Smooth Routine

Thursday, Aug 12, 2021  |  admin  |  At Home

school-back.jpg

By the time you read this, most kids have merrily gone back to school in Lake Country, full-time and in-person. The transition back may be a bit more challenging this school year due to the pandemic. To make it easier, we’re sharing a few fun tips that’ll help make the back to school routine smooth and manageable for all.


Create a study space

A popular trend that resulted from the pandemic is dedicated workspaces at home. They’re a must today, for both school and work. Setting up a comfortable home study space for your kids helps them concentrate and focus on their work. Ensure their space is located in a quiet spot where there are few distractions. Note that it might be outside the child’s bedroom, such as a dedicated part of a shared room or another room altogether. Keep in mind that newer homes now have “Zoom Rooms” set up perfectly for individual family members to use for virtual learning and working from home

Make a message center

Back to school means lots of meetings, practices, tournaments, rehearsals, and more. Make it less chaotic with a family message center. That way, everyone can easily keep track of schedules, appointments, and other logistics. A simple dry-erase board or chalkboard, an attractive calendar, and some colorful sticky notes are fun and easy components that’ll help keep everyone aware and organized. 

Define a drop zone

A “drop zone” is essentially an enhanced, modern mudroom. Today’s drop zone is a place for all sorts of things that you’d want to “drop” as soon as you enter the door — items like backpacks, coats, shoes, keys, sunglasses, water bottles, lunch bags, mail, pet leashes, and more. They’re also a good spot to charge phones and other devices. A drop zone is nice, not only for its practicality and functionality but for how it cuts down on clutter. They’re also great for staging things kids and parents need when heading out the door, making a better start to the day for everyone. Also, consider incorporating your message center in your drop zone. And lastly, keep in mind that your drop zone doesn’t have to be messy. Clever design and storage spaces can make it attractive and welcoming.

Try new tech tools

If your kids have trouble focusing on homework, consider investing in high-quality, noise-canceling headphones. If they have trouble getting up for school each morning, try a sunrise alarm clock. It’s nice because rather than utilizing annoying loud sounds, it gradually brightens the room with light to slowly and steadily rouse kids from their slumber. Another wise investment is a sturdy lap desk so that kids can utilize their laptops in different parts of the house, inside and out. 

Factor in family time

Check in with your kids often and ask how they’re doing. School can be challenging, so if they speak up, take the time to talk things through. Give them something to look forward to on evenings and weekends. Fun activities like a hike, hitting a bucket of balls, boating on Lake Oconee, swimming in the pool, or simply going out to eat together — all can make a big difference. Of course, living in a positive, nurturing, and warm environment fosters better connections with family and friends — all of which go a long way toward enabling kids to relax during times when they need a positive boost. 

We invite you to come see why Harbor Club is an excellent place for family fun — not only during back-to-school time but all year round. Contact us today for a personalized tour.