This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.
Like most of you, my kids are back in school and into the swing of things. I feel like the first few weeks of the school year are trying to find the perfect back to school routine.
Kids do better with structure. They just do. But for kids with ADHD, they need a routine. It’s imperative to their brains.
To keep your kids (and special needs kids) on track, here are a few tips to have the best back to school routine for your family.
- Prepare the night before. Get school clothes set aside and back packs cleaned out so there are no morning surprises (I can’t find my favorite shirt! I forgot to do my math homework!) Even setting your shoes by the door will help so much.
- Wake up early. My son hates to be rushed. It stresses him out and makes him dig in his heals. The more we have to hurry, the longer he takes to complete his tasks. It’s backwards, but there it is. If we get started early, we won’t be pushing him out of bed and out the door. I’m not a morning person, so this is hard for me. I set my alarm even earlier so it gives me a few minutes to wake up before I’m commanding the troops.
- Find the right order of things for you. We have found that our guy gets more done if he gets dressed right after he gets out of bed. Maybe your children do better if they make their beds and eat their breakfast first. It might take a little trial and error, but find the order that fits your needs.
- Utilize free time. Since we get up early, we have extra time before school starts. If there’s free time, my son starts playing with toys and it’s hard to pull him away from something fun to go to school. So, we have him check his back pack or do his piano practice. He can do his daily chores (like wiping down the bathroom counter or putting away folded laundry) and that’s just one less thing to do after school. Look at it this way: chores before school = more time for play after school! And kids REALLY need time to play after school!
- Take care of yourself too. Just the other day I was rushing kids out the door and realized I still had pajamas on, no contacts, and an empty stomach. You can’t take care of the kids if you haven’t taken care of yourself. Set your clothes aside the night before as well, and make sure you get some protein in you and get your blood sugar at the right spot. No need to pass out just to be to school on time.
- Make sure they get their vitamins. We used to give our kids their vitamins at night, but I felt like all those vitamins and minerals could certainly help them be their best throughout the day! We use Nature Made® KIDS FIRST®Multivitamin Gummies. They’re high quality and our kids love the flavors! Just give them a vitamin every morning at breakfast and it’ll become habit. Even if your breakfast is eaten during a Saturday morning round of Star Wars Monopoly.
Giving kids a vitamin in the morning ensures that they get essential daily nutrition that they might be lacking if they get just a bowl of marshmallow oaties. There are no artificial dyes, and you KNOW that’s a big plus around here! Those dyes wreak havoc on my son’s ADHD brain!
You can find these delicious KIDS FIRST® Multivitamin Gummies exclusively at Target.
I know you love you some Target. Who doesn’t?! And before you go, check out this special offer to get money back when you shop at the big red.
Our kids are facing a long hard day of learning and growing. As parents and caregivers, it’s our job to make sure they get the best start they can. Teach them a life of good time management and healthy skills, and it’ll stick with them forever.
And don’t miss out on our tips for making a school commute run smoothly!
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.