Getting children to class on time can be a real challenge, especially when they are very young. This is something every parent knows and has experienced on more than one occasion. A sudden temper tantrum, a breakfast that takes longer than expected, a lazy, sleepy child who crawls around in slow motion. Many circumstances can cause children to be late for school. However, good planning is essential so that this situation is repeated as little as possible.
Punctuality is a very necessary and appreciated quality in many areas of life. If we arrive late, we disrespect those who are waiting for us, we lose opportunities and we build up a reputation for irresponsibility. He It is therefore essential to instil this value in children from an early age.. But, to achieve this, we must take into account a series of guidelines that we reveal to you below.
Tips to avoid being late for school
The dynamics and the instructions to follow may vary according to age children. Young children need more adult supervision; in the case of teenagers, punctuality will largely depend on their own organizational skills. Either way, establishing a set of habits can go a long way in preventing every morning from becoming a race against time.
1. Backpack and homework ready
Mornings are not the appropriate time to do the homework for the day or to prepare for the work or project that needs to be brought to class. It is best if these tasks are done before going to sleep, the day before.
In this way, we will avoid that rush or sleep make us forget something important; and, of course, we will also manage to arrive on time at school.
Make sure your child prepares their bag with the books and supplies needed for the next day, his clothes (in case he needs to change) and, if possible, his breakfast. So you’ll have one less worry when you wake up.
2. Prepared clothes
The choice of clothing is one of the aspects that generates the most delays every morning, and not just among teenagers (who attach great importance to their image); young children who are allowed to choose their outfit may also hesitate for a long time before choosing or focus on an inappropriate option. There may even be endless conflict or a tantrum.
To prevent this from making them late for school, get them used to getting their clothes ready the day before, coat and shoes included. This way, they won’t have to think and they will save precious minutes that can make a difference.
3. Enough rest
When children wake up rested and energized, the whole dynamic of the morning unfolds much more smoothly. Insufficient sleep affects their academic performance and, in addition, they may have difficulty getting up and each task at home may take much longer than necessary.
Thereby, try to get them enough sleep according to their age and avoid having electronic devices in their room at night, to avoid insomnia and possible distractions.
4. Habit and routine
Routine is one of the best ways to get kids to finish their homework on time because that way they always know what step is coming next. To achieve that behaviors are automated, it is important to establish a routine that is repeated every morning. For example: getting up, having breakfast, washing, getting dressed, taking your backpack and going out.
5. Planned duration
To optimize adherence to the routine, it is necessary that the child concentrates on each activity and does not become distracted or spend too much time on it. A good way to achieve this is to set a scheduled duration for each task ; for example, give breakfast 20 minutes and move on to the next step, even if you haven’t finished. The following days, the child can adapt to the established durations.
6. A reasonable margin
No matter how well planned, unforeseen events can always occur. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to always have a certain margin, for example approximately 15 additional minutes compared to the original plan. If you calculate that it takes an hour and a half from when the child gets up to when he arrives at school, wake him up 45 minutes early.
7. Motivate your children to avoid being late for school
Finally, we can use motivation instead of threats or at constant pressure. For example, you can tell the child that if he is ready in time, he can see the cartoons a moment before leaving or you can go to the park near the school a few minutes before going to class.
Learning not to be late for school is valuable learning
Beyond avoiding reprimands from teachers or avoiding missing certain classes, teaching your child not to be late for school will serve as learning for life. Punctuality is essential in the social and professional environment and working on it from childhood is the best way to ensure its sustainability in the future. Thus, do not hesitate to apply the advice above from their first school years.