Most kids are back in school. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make on the fly improvements to help us get back into a routine. Here are 6 quick tips to help you get back on track:
- Restart the bedtime routine: It’s hard to get up for school the first day unless you start back into a normal bedtime routine now.
- Set up a place for homework: Set expectations now and get organized. Kids thrive on routine and organization.
- Talk to your child’s teacher, school psychologist or nurse: If you have ANY concerns about your child academically, socially or medically, reach out in advance. Being proactive is always better than being reactive.
- Prepare for sick days: Kids will inevitably get sick at the beginning of the school year as they come back together in such close quarters. Kids who have asthma often benefit from restarting their controller medications in anticipation of this. Visit your doctor to discuss this or any other medical needs before school starts.
- Consider helping kids in school districts with less: DonorsChoose.org makes it easy to help classrooms in need. Public school teachers post classroom project requests. Find a project that has some meaning to you and your family.
- Don’t stress: Back to school can be stressful for everyone. Try and relax and take it one day at a time.
Dr. Shaer is a pediatrician and a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). She is director of the Breastfeeding Medicine Center of Allied Pediatrics of New York.
Survivor: Pediatrics 
Our friends used to be pediatricians in Columbia MD, so we always go to them for advice like this. This is great counsel, by the way!