You have been enjoying summer spending quality time amongst family and friends with not a worry in sight. School has been in the back of your mind the whole time and before you knew it, it has finally arrived.

This can bring with it a whole host of emotions for both you and your child. Whether there is excitement, anxiety, nervousness or a mix of them all - these steps will help the first day back run as smooth as possible. 

1. Talk about going back to school.

Talk to your child about going back; ask them what they're feeling and normalise these feelings. Tell your kids that it’s ok to feel nervous or worried and that these feelings are very normal. If there are any particular qualms encourage them to expand on those. Reframe the process as a game / personal challenge and watch them become excited and eager. 

2. Do a dry run.

If time permits & you think your child would benefit, practice the whole process. Organise a school day where they get up in the morning, get dressed into their school uniform, pack their lunch and bags and walk or drive to where school is. This can be fun for both you and your child!

It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

3. Lay things out the night before.

Our children always seem to realise that they forgot their pencil case once they arrive at the school gates. Avoid this and pack everything you need the night before. The morning chaos can easily be minimised or avoided with 10 minutes of preparation the night before. 

4. Enforce bedtime.

We tend to be quite relaxed regarding our child's bedtime over the holidays. This can make it hard to adapt once we need to get back into routine. Encourage a strict bedtime before school to ensure they get their 8 hours. This will help them stay focused and be able to learn new things. 

5. Get up early.

Even with all the planning in the world there are always bound to be hiccups. Wake up 15 minutes early as a form of insurance for the first day. What if your child drops their breakfast on their uniform? What if when getting in your car you notice that there is a pack of wild giraffes blocking your driveway? We can't prepare for everything so let's have leeway to allow bad things to happen.

If it can happen, it will happen - Edward A. Murphy

6. Eat a nutritious breakfast.

We know that kids who eat a balanced breakfast have more stable energy levels and tend to do better in school. Why not make something healthy and yummy with one of our favourite recipes;

Prosciutto and Egg Panini

• Serves 4
• Hands-On Time 15 min
• Total Time 15 min

INGREDIENTS

1. 8 large eggs

2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3. 4 wholemeal rolls, halved lengthwise

4. 200 grams prosciutto (or salami / ham), thinly sliced

5. 200 grams Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

6. Salad of choice / Tomato

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and scramble until cooked through.

3. Divide the eggs among the bottom halves of the rolls. Top with the prosciutto and cheese and sandwich with the tops of the rolls. Fill with salad / vegetables of your choice.

4. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place two sandwiches in the pan.

5. Cook, pressing often with a spatula or placing a pan on top to weigh down the sandwiches, until cheese has melted and bread is golden, 4 to 6 minutes.

6. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

We hope this post has helped you understand the makings of a successful student. As always, this post was written by an Indigo Education Tutor. If you have any questions or you wanted to make an inquiry please don't hesitate to contact us and we'll get back to you. 

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