After a long vacation, your kids are now ready to face their next challenge – getting back to school! But if you wish for this year to be more productive for you and the little ones, it’s very important to establish these five simple habits as the school semester kicks off:

1. Get a good night’s sleep

A consistent eight-hour sleep routine is very important to not only give your kids the energy to push through the school day but also keep them healthy. So, as you begin to get back on track for school timetables, establish good sleep hygiene and a firm bedtime to make sure that your kids get enough rest the night before. As bedtime nears, let them go through their usual night routines but keep them away from disruptions like eating sugary treats, stimulating activity or screen time.

2. Prepare the night before

The morning rush can be stressful for everyone, especially your kids. But this can be minimised if it is prepared ahead. Before putting the kids to sleep, make sure that their school bags are packed with everything they need for the next day. You can even create a daily checklist that will make packing a lot faster, and make it a group activity so that it’s more fun! Of course, you can’t forget about cleaning their Thermos® Tumbler with Carry Loop and Thermos® Lunch Tote beforehand. Make sure they’re good to go when you’re filling them up with goodies in the morning!

3. Keep the kids hydrated

It’s easy for kids to overlook the importance of proper hydration, especially if they’re too busy in school or they prefer to drink sugar-laden sodas over water. It is important to teach the kids about proper hydration to keep their energy levels up, promote better brain health and enjoy the many other benefits of drinking water regularly. If plain water is too ‘boring’ for your little ones, try adding some flavour through fruit infusion. Top up their Thermos® Straw Bottle and it’ll be super-easy for them to grab a sip!

4. Organise the school calendar

School can be quite hectic for the kids and sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of all their important dates when there are other things on your mind. To make sure that your kids (or you) don’t end up missing any important deadlines or school events, it’s best to create a school calendar and constantly update it. 

If you prefer to go ‘old-school’, you can go with a printout and place it on the fridge to keep it visible and accessible. But you can also go with a digital calendar and sync it with your phone and computer to make sure that you don’t end up missing anything.

5. Give the kids an outdoor break

Although your kids are busy keeping up with homework and projects, they still need a breather every now and then. Be sure to plan your weekends and study breaks well by organising activities that will get them out of the house and off their screens. 

For instance, you can go to the beach or a park on a sunny day. You can even go for a relaxing walk around the neighbourhood as a form of exercise to keep them healthy and strong. If there’s a long weekend coming up, a short getaway trip helps everyone in the family to take some time away from their busy school and work lives.