Ahh, back to school time. It’s a dreaded season for most kids, and some parents, too. Getting back into the grind of waking up early, packing lunches, and fitting in extracurricular activities can be tough—but waiting until the last minute to prepare? That makes it even tougher.

Get back into the swing of things with these tips for staying on top of your time management this school year!

Setting up a sleep countdown.
During the summer, we tend to stay up later—it’s only natural as it doesn’t get dark in most places until about eight or nine o’clock. But in order to avoid a morning meltdown, kids need at least eight hours of sleep. Here’s how to make that happen:

• Start three weeks before school begins, getting kids ready for bed a half hour earlier each week. If your child has been going to sleep at 9:00, they should be going to bed by 8:30 three weeks before school starts, then 8:00 two weeks before, and so on.
• If your child can’t seem to fall asleep any earlier, encourage them to try getting some energy out before bed. Basic yoga stretches, jogging in place, or even taking a shower can help put kids in a sleepier mood.
• Be sure to remove distractions, like phones and computers, from their reach during bed. Bright screens are proven disturbances to the sleep cycle, and are guaranteed to keep them up longer.

Making back to school time fun.
No child wants to hear that it’s almost time again for book reports and homework, but if you turn getting ready for the new school year into a memorable experience, the transition won’t seem so bad.

• Try adopting a special “back to school” tradition that the kids can look forward to every year, like a backyard camping trip, end of summer scavenger hunt, etc.
• Let them participate in buying a new back to school outfit and supplies, and encourage them to get their own backpack ready for the first day.
• Prepare a special meal the night before the first day—one that’s their favorite. Knowing they’ll have a beloved dinner to enjoy together can help relieve jitters and get them excited for the day ahead.