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As quickly as it came Summer is nearly over, which means you and mums everywhere are getting ready for a new academic year, these are some of my top tips on how mums can navigate and make the most of this ‘Back to School’ season.
1. Soberly thinking about what you would like to achieve (Setting Goals)
The arrival of a new academic year is the perfect opportunity to implement new habits and practices that are in line with your aspirations and values. Before the start of the academic year it is a worthwhile exercise to think about what you want personally and as a family.
If you have a clear idea and vision of where you would like to be by the end of the academic year you can design your routines around this and also allow space to incorporate other aspects as you go along. Some of your targets may include, to spend more time as a family, for the children to thrive more at school (be specific with these targets) or even to be more healthy collectively as a family. Have your goals written down (this is very important) so you can refer back to them and assess if they are being met.
2. Back to school routines
Once your vision for the year has been established, you can work towards shaping your routines i.e what you do every day to help meet these goals.
You can implement good routines like the obvious ones of having a sensible bedtime for the children or designating a certain time of the afternoon after school for homework. These routines can also extend to other areas such as making time for family activities and quality time together, I discuss some ideas in my previous article. It doesn’t stop there, you can incorporate regular uninterrupted time for self-care and rest. The vision is going to be the destination that you want to get to, but it’s your daily habits that are the vehicle to get to the destination.
3. Developing a planning system
A planning system is useful on multiple levels, it takes all the tasks and important information from your head and stores it in a place that is easily accessible. It also allows for easy tracking of goals.
It can also be very good practice for children to get into the habit of planning and sorting important information. Your planning system could be as simple as a todo list that goes on the fridge for everyone to see or using a sophisticated task management system such as notion. Either way, it’s a very good idea to develop a system that works for you individually and as a family.
4. Key Dates
Following on from a task management system, with a new academic year will come a new assortment of key dates, insert these important dates into a calendar so you can see what’s coming up week on week. Make a note of examinations, school events and holidays so you won’t be caught by surprise, and it will give you the opportunity to plan ahead.
5. Productive Work Space
The area where the children complete their homework and other tasks is very important, it needs to be a clean, well-lit space that ideally is inviting and free from clutter. It’s a good idea to have a clear-out before the new academic year begins.
It pays to invest in a good quality desk and chair(s) if you don’t have them already, and good lighting so occupants are not straining their eyes. Make sure the space is well stocked with stationary so once children or adults are sat down everything they need is in one place.
6. Shopping for Stationary and Clothes
The back to school shop can be a very expensive one, but this doesn’t need to be the case. I would recommend taking an inventory of what you have, you can then make a list and shop around in person and online. This means that you’re only buying things that are needed and therefore saving money and not inviting unnecessary clutter into your home.
7. Thinking about how the pandemic has affected things (self-care)
The pandemic is still in effect and children around the world are still feeling the fallout of their studies being disrupted. There are many mums that are concerned their children have fallen behind. Don’t worry! There are many children in the same boat and there is plenty of time to catch up. The most important areas of focus at the moment are ensuring the emotional and physical well-being of both children and carers. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or the children to ‘catch up’. Schools and exam boards are very much aware of the disruption caused and have altered both their curriculums and exams as a result.
This list is by no means exhaustive and there is just a selection of useful tips that will help Mums flourish this coming new year. Don’t forget a new academic year provides another opportunity for growth and development in all areas, embrace the process and journey.
Keep going Mums, you’re doing great!
Samuel Adu-Gyamfi is the CEO and founder of Sam Tutoring, a tutoring service and consultancy in London he founded a decade ago.
Sam Tutoring provides private one-to-one tuition along with group and online tuition for families in Central London and internationally, as well as tailor-made services for schools.
Working with students from the ages of 7-18 we provide academic support and mentorship.
Email info@samtutoring.london, to book a consultation or visit www.samtutoring.london to see how we can help your child succeed.
Read more tips by Sam tutoring here.
This is a Sponsored content with Sam Tutoring
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