Back Into the Swing of Things

You may (or may not) have noticed that I haven’t been posting here much over the summer.  There were many changes in our household over the summer, all good ones, that gave us the opportunity to get out canoeing and camping a lot more than usual.  That, combined with some unexpected changes in the at-home routine, knocked me out of the routine of posting regularly.

With the return of fall, school, and new seasonal activities, along with a new set of at-home routines, I’m ready to jump back in!  I read some fascinating books this summer about dyslexia, neuroplasticity, and learning, and I look forward to sharing some of what I’ve learned over the next few weeks.  I’ll also be making some changes and updates to the website, so stay tuned!

As I have learned while adapting my home routines to changes, when you work your way back into the routine of school look for ways to make life easier for you and your child.  Set simple routines in place to minimize the ‘sticky’ points in the day. Everyone’s ‘sticky’ points will be different, but think about which part of the day you dislike the most and why.  Then create a plan to smooth out those parts of the day.  If you need ideas, the internet abounds with great suggestions.  Find the ones that fit your family and dive in.

• If the morning is always a mad dash, make lunches, pack backpacks, lay out non-perishable breakfast items on the table, and set out clothes the night before.
• If getting homework done after school is a challenge, set a routine of coming in the door, emptying backpacks and lunch containers, pull out planners or papers that need signing, have a snack, and then get the homework finished.
• If the homework will take more than 10 minutes, set a timer for 20 – 30 minutes of outdoor activity after snack time.  When the timer goes off, it is time for homework.

If you have more than one ‘sticky’ area, don’t tackle them all at the same time, just pick the most frustrating and work on that one until you have a consistent routine.  Once the routine has settled into place, work on the next one.

Children respond well to routines once they realize that it is consistent and non-negotiable.  It doesn’t mean that they won’t complain or challenge you, they will.  Just kindly and firmly redirect them to the task at hand (I know you don’t want to do …  , but we’re going to do it anyway because it will make …. easier.) and then do the activity alongside them.

Often children with dyslexia can struggle with time management, procrastination, planning ahead, or looking after their things, and implementing some simple routines can help alleviate a few of those challenges. What works for your family?