Cape Town - Getting your child ready for school can be very stressful and time consuming, but with routines and planning you can never go wrong.
There are many circumstances that can lead to your children being late for school, however, proper planning is key.
Online site, “Youaremom,” states younger children need more adult supervision.
Here’s how to avoid being late for school:
– Make sure your child prepares their backpack with the books and materials needed for the next day, clothes (in case they need to change) and if necessary, lunch.
– Get them into the habit of preparing their clothes the day before, coat and shoes included.
– Make sure they get enough sleep according to their age and avoid having electronic devices in their bedroom at night to avoid insomnia and possible distractions.
– To make behaviours automatic, it is important to establish a routine that’s repeated every morning, for example: Get up, eat breakfast, get cleaned up, get dressed, grab the backpack, and go outside.
A good way to achieve this is to establish a scheduled time for each task, for example, dedicate 20 minutes to breakfast and move on to the next step, even if it’s not finished.
No matter how good your planning is, unforeseen events can always arise.
It is highly recommended that you always have a certain margin, for example, about 15 minutes extra with respect to the initial planning.
Finally, use motivation instead of threats or constant pressure. As an example, you can tell your child that if he/she is ready on time, he/she will be able to watch cartoons for a while before going to class.
Western Cape Education head, Brent Walters said that it is vital to encourage your child to go to school on time every day, prepared to learn, to play, to participate and to enjoy.
He also mentioned parents are role models and they help shape their child’s opinions, values, attitudes and approach towards learning and life in general.