September Transitions

By Kate Miller

September! That time of year when pumpkin spice comes out. Kids go back to school. The trees start to lose their leaves, and the holidays are barreling down. While September happens for everyone of all ages, I was particularly interested in what moms feel this time of year and wanted to know their go-to strategies for moving forward into school. I asked local SW moms, moms I work with, and moms from Vacation Bible School programs, and these are their go-to thoughts for parents and for children:

Parents: 

1. Right now, mark the first day of school in your calendar, and schedule the end-of-the-week celebration dinner at the restaurant of your child’s choice.
2. Schedule a dinner for you and yours too, clearly on another day—just to celebrate another summer of family fun in the books!
3. Fall time, bed-time schedules for the entire family. If you think your child is the only one who needs a fall time, bed-time schedule, think again. 
   1. For parents: 
      1. try that new red wine without the kiddos present
      2. catch up on your dvd player
      3. meals for two that don’t include chicken nuggets
      4. adult only (yeah) over the fence neighborhood conversations that don’t include the directives, “stop it, quit, play nice”
   2. For kids:
      1. new glow in the dark ceiling stickers
      2. new bedtime books or stories
      3. new jammies

Kids:

1. Summer-time memory books. If you keep memory boxes for your children, consider helping them make a short, summer 2019 memory book. The book could include pictures, drawings, rocks, leaves, or whatever made for a super summer. This project could help ease the summer (no-school) to fall (school) transition. 
2. Designate a special place for homework. This could be special plastic boxes to hold homework to a nook in your home, or special tablecloth which means: study time. 
3. While the weather is warmer create special transportation days: Monday=Metro, Tuesday=bike, Wednesday=scooter, and other options, such as: bus, walk, and/or car days.  
4. Support your child with notes in their backpack or lunchbox for the first week, or until they have reconnected with friends and the routine of school.

I know for myself September is a blend of excitement and bittersweet. I am excited as my children head back to school, and I wonder what they will learn, and how they will grow. And yet, I experience a sense of bittersweet too as I reconcile that another summer is over, and my children’s sun-kissed skin will fade, and our over-consumption of ice cream will cease (that’s a good thing). I have to remind myself it is a classic transition time of year.

And, do note, that while these tips were provided by moms for children returning to school, if you are a home that has no children, these tips could easily work if you are transitioning into a new job, new degree program, or new home. 

Remember that transition, no matter the time of year, is all about creating personal ideas, skills, or goals that help you navigate with SUCCESS! 

Have a SUPER September!