Ring, Ring! We are official Back to School! To set our families up for success, we’ve compiled some nanny tips and tricks for back to school. Nannies play an important role in transitioning from summer vacation to the school year. Summer vacation is highly anticipated, but the start of the school year might be partnered with some initial excitement and also some fears.
Drop-Offs and Pick-Ups: There is a YouTube video of a teacher from North Carolina, Mr. White, who greets his students with a unique handshake at the beginning of each day. The video shows him bringing joy to each student as he does individualized handshakes with each student. How fun would it be to create a handshake when you drop-off and/or pick-up the children in your care at school? Like Mr. White, you will connect with the child’s heart, bring a smile to their face, joy to their day, and memories to last a lifetime.
Lunch: To express your care throughout the day write a joke, riddle, or encouragement on a piece of paper and include it in their lunchbox. Does the child your caring for like puzzles or games? Put a puzzle piece in the child’s lunchbox each day and he will look forward to watching the picture come together as the days unfold.
Engaging After School. When you pick kids up from school you want to know about their day, but instead of asking a generic question like “How was school today?” which often elicits a one word response, try asking specific questions like, “Tell me about the student that sits next to you in school,” “Who is the funniest person in your class?” or “What was your favorite part of lunch?” Make a game and by writing questions down on paper, put them in a jar, and have the children pick a question out and answer it. This would also be a great time to follow up with the joke, riddle, or puzzle piece you put in their lunch as well.
After School Plans: The first couple of weeks of school are very exhausting, and children are buzzing from the new experiences, challenges, and routines. Plan the week so kids know what to expect but leave room to be spontaneous. Make sure to gauge their need for stimulation versus time to rest.
Do you have your own tips and tricks? We invite you to post on Instagram and tag Educated Nannies. We want to hear from you!
