Tips For The Back-To-School Transition

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)  - While some parents couldn't wait for school to start, it can be a tough transition for the family, especially when it comes to three key issues: waking up, study time and anxiety.

As CBS 2's Cindy Hsu reported, some kids have a tough time getting back into the swing of school.

Brooke and Shea are first graders and say there's a lot to love about class, but it can be hard after summer.

"You got to do a lot of fun in the summer but then you have to go back to work and stuff in school," Shea said.

Mother Bree Sheahan says the hard part is getting back into a routine.

"I think the biggest thing is just getting back on schedule, making sure they go to be don time and early," she said.

For Ezra, 6, getting up at 6:30 a.m. is the tough part.

"That was not pretty, not pretty," he said. "I just like to sleep in every day."

Shannon Cussen is an early childhood expert at the Westside YMCA. She says you can save time by having you child's clothes picked out and lunches made the night before. Also, talk to your child about the wake-up routine.

"Giving those warnings, if you really need to be up at 7 a.m., maybe start the process at a quarter to 7 a.m. or 6:40 a.m. and start coming in, you have five more minutes," Cussen said.

As they get older, have them set their own alarms so they're part of the process. Cussen says a set is also key when kids get home from school.

"First hour when you come home is free for you to choose what you want to do, next hour and a half we're going to trudge through homework," Cussen suggests.

She says be consistent with the rules and if your child had a tough start with school and doesn't want to go back, redirect their focus on the positive things like new friends and fun.

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