3 Hacks to Help Kids Better Prepare for Virtual School in the Morning
Let’s face it, only a special few enjoy waking up early in the morning to get ready for school. It’s a lasting tradition for most kids to begrudgingly get out of bed in the morning so they can prepare for a day of learning. Now, with the perspective of long-term virtual learning for many students, getting ready for school has shifted significantly.
There are several things parents can do to help kids wake up early for school in the morning and prepare for a successful virtual school day, and Merry Maids has your guide to the three most important ones.
How to Wake Up Early for Virtual School
Before you start preparing your children to wake up for virtual school in the morning, it’s important to help them with a routine to start the day off right.
Here are some quick tips to make sure everyone is successful and awake the next day.
Start going to bed earlier: One of the best ways to get a good night’s sleep and be refreshed for an early start the next day is to go to bed earlier the day before.
Remove any and all electronics from the room: Watching videos on tablets and smartphones can surely interrupt your student’s sleep schedule if you’re not careful. Be sure to remove all electronics from your child’s room before bedtime to reduce the temptation to stay up late.
Create a weekend sleeping routine: A weekend sleeping routine doesn’t have to be restrictive, but it should be in line with your weekday routine so things don’t get thrown off on Saturday and Sunday.
Eliminate naps: Napping during the day can help reenergize your child, but it can also interrupt their sleeping schedule at night. Try to reduce or eliminate naps during the day so they have a restful night sleep.
These same tips can also help teenage or high school level students prepare to wake up early to study for exams or knock out homework they weren’t able to complete the previous day.
The Best Morning Routine for Virtual School
Just because your student isn’t actually leaving the house doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have a morning routine to get them ready (and excited) for school. Having a routine helps kids focus on the day ahead, eliminates schedule ambiguity, and helps reinforce responsibility.
A Morning Routine Step-By-Step Guide
Step 1: Ensure your student makes their bed. Studies have shown that people who make the bed are more productive and have better quality sleep.
Step 2: Get your student dressed or make sure they dress themselves before leaving their rooms or doing anything else.
Step 3: Eat a hearty breakfast to get your student’s mind alert and focused for the day.
Step 4: Allot 5-10 minutes to clean up breakfast and say some encouraging words or positive affirmations before your student logs on for class.
3 Hacks to Better Prepare Parents & Students for Virtual School in the Morning
Set a Music Alarm
Traditional alarm clocks are great for waking people up in the morning—if you enjoy being jarred awake by a loud noise and feeling slightly disoriented. For a more peaceful way to wake up, many music apps such as Pandora and Spotify offer alarms you can set for a specific time and designate a playlist to help ease you into blissful consciousness. It’s always a great idea to set your alarm an hour or hour and a half before virtual class starts. This ensures both you and your student are prepared for a successful day.
Plan Out Your Morning the Night Before
The best laid plans are ones that help you get a jumpstart on the next day. A great way to help you and your student be better prepared for virtual school in the morning is to plan out the day the night before. This includes planning meals, laying out clothes, and having learning material readily available (e.g., charging computers, organizing supplies, etc.).
Remember, this is the time to place much-needed items in an easy-to-locate area to help keep your student from scrambling in the morning. The last thing you want is for your student to lose precious minutes looking for vital items instead of getting excited about virtual school.
Gradually Let in the Light
There’s little else that compares to the relaxing feeling of waking up to a bright and beautiful rising sun. Opening the shades and letting in the sun can help wake you up physically and mentally. Researchers have found that exposure to sunlight in the morning sends signals to the brain that tell you it’s time to start the day. Unfortunately, during the winter months, you may not have the luxury of letting the sun peacefully wake you in the wee hours of the morning. During these colder school months, you can invest in a sunrise alarm clock for your student that gradually gets brighter to mimic the sunrise.
New York Times Wirecutter’s has a great list of several sunrise alarm clocks with quality and price recommendations.
When your student is having a tough time preparing for virtual school in the morning, you should dedicate your time to creating a routine they can stick to and get excited about.
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