Managing After School Madness

Creating a routine can help kids (and parents!) transition from school to home.

The lazy days of summer are coming to an end, and it’s time to get kids back into the school schedule. While I often hear my friends talk about getting their kids back into a good bedtime/morning routine, I never hear anything about dealing with what I call the “witching hours”: that decompression time when your kids get home after school.

While your kids are making the transition from their “public selves” after a long day of school, it’s tempting to pop them in front of the TV to decompress and relax for 30 minutes. Fortunately, there are many other options besides TV to ease the transition—and improve your own afternoon in the process!

Some tips from parents and parenting experts:

Give kids some control: According to Wendy Petricoff, an Overland Park native who is now an independent Love and Logic Parenting expert in Charlotte, NC, a great way to calm the mayhem is to give your children appropriate choices. For instance: “Would you like a snack while you're doing your homework or after?” “Would you like to play outside for 20 minutes or 30 minutes?”

“Let them help you make the schedule. Their buy-in goes a long way toward easing the school-to-home transition,” Petricoff says.

Stave off hunger: An after school snack—especially one with some protein to hold kids’ appetites in check until dinnertime—can make all the difference in your child’s after school attitude.

Be present and enjoy the time you get to spend with them (and reap the rewards as a parent): Instead of bombarding your kids with questions about their day, opt for a big hug and a warm welcome home, says Petricoff. You can share details of your day or ask them an open-ended, no pressure “How was your day?”

“When we get home, often the kids go straight from the car to the driveway or backyard to play. I don't worry about getting myself changed out of my work clothes or getting bags put away. I join them and then enjoy quality time with them since I haven't seen them all day,” Karen Loggia, Leawood mother of two, says. “They get to burn off any extra energy, and I get to focus on my children.”

Be mindful of their schedules: “Many kids have to work really hard to hold it together all day at school,” Petricoff says. “If your child has a hard time pulling it together for after school activities, schedule the swimming lessons on the weekend.”

Get organized: In a two-income family like ours, preparation for the next day is key. My husband goes straight from work to pick up the kids after school, and things go so much better when snacks and any sports equipment are ready to grab and go.

And Loggia, whose younger children need supervision while outside, keeps bottles of water handy in the garage so she and the kids can easily grab something to drink. Anything you can do to reduce “think time” makes it easier on yourself and your kids. 

Use these tips—and any you come up with yourself—to discover your own family’s after school rhythm and get this school year off to a great start!

Jane Blumenthal Martin lives in Overland Park with her husband and two children. Read Jane's blog for working parents at www.ArtOfEqualParenting.com.