A Letter from the Dean

Hey Exceed family!

I hope everyone has been healthy and staying safe. I want to share some tips to maintain positive scholar habits and discipline this summer.

Daily Schedules

The goal each summer is to have fun and relax, but keeping similar routines and schedules is just as important. Many times, this starts with a basic daily schedule. Before you begin this routine, have your children write it down and keep it visible (if your scholar is in K-2, you can help them with this task). Children need to take ownership of their daily schedule and base it on what they think is important to accomplish. Collaborate with your child in creating it!

One of the basics is your child’s morning and evening routines. A good morning routine ensures your child will be ready for the rest of the day, whether they are going to school or not. An evening routine is important as well because it enables your child to be organized and ready for the next day. One of the secrets to success is found in daily routines!

The routine your child uses throughout the summer will help them build positive habits and attain success. This is very important so they have a smooth transition when they return to school. They will not have school-related activities to fill their schedule, but they can find things to do over the summer to keep them in the right frame of mind to continue to progress.

Keeping Things Constant

Your child should continue to use all of their life skills at home, like cleaning up after themselves, making the bed, folding clothes, responding politely, and helping with any tasks around the house. It is tempting to help with some of these simple tasks, but that will only create setbacks when they return to a more independent situation. Remember, without a routine that continues their positive momentum, they may create bad habits that will be difficult to break when they return to school. Bad habits emerge without our permission. Here are some things to keep consistent with your children:

1. Go to bed early - It is easy for children to create a new habit of going to bed very late at night over breaks while they are at home. This will increase the amount of time it takes them to get back into a good sleeping routine once they return to school.

2. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night - Getting enough sleep isn’t just good for your routine, it’s also important for overall health.

3. Exercise each day - Your child may already have this as part of their routine; don’t let them get out of the habit at home. Dance, walk around the park, stretch, play catch, whatever works! Daily movement is important.