How To Stick To An Effective School Routine All Year Long

August 8, 2025

Homework

TL; DR School routines matter to school success: maintaing a routine all year can be tricky!

Essential Habit Hack for Students:

Focus on morning and evening routines at home
Morning routines can set the tone for the entire day
Evening routines can ensure children are ready for the next day

With the school year in full swing and your child’s workload ramping up, it’s important to make sure they stick to a steady routine.

For many students, a new school year is an exciting time, full of new goals and good intentions. They’re eager to start the new school year on the right foot, prioritizing school work and making sure they are well prepared for class.

What Happens to School Routines As the School Year Progresses?

As the new school year goes on, keeping to a routine of good habits can become difficult for students. Your child may begin to

wake up later
forget things at home
leave assignments to the last minute
care less about schoolwork

How can you help make sure your child maintains the great start they had this year?

It starts with sticking to an effective before and after school routine.

Read on to learn how to identify when your child’s routine is starting to falter, and how you can help get them back on track.

Maintaining An Effective Before School Routine

The hours before your child leaves for the school day are important—they set the tone for the entire day.

If your child starts the day feeling refreshed, organized, and level-headed, this attitude will carry on throughout the school day. If your child leaves the house feeling flustered and tired, it will be difficult for them to take on the day with confidence.

Problem: Your child is waking up later each day/week

Routine Remedy: Stick to a set bedtime and wake up time

Agree on a set bedtime that your child can stick to. This also means putting the phone and computer away so your child can properly wind down and relax before bed. This will help make sure that your child gets enough sleep to rise rested, refreshed, and on time the next morning.

Problem: Your child doesn’t have time for breakfast

Routine Remedy: Choose quick, on-the-go breakfast options

A nutritional breakfast is an important part of a good morning routine. It helps your child have energy and focus to take on the school day. When setting your child’s wake up time, make it early enough that they have time to sit down and enjoy breakfast.

If your child can’t make time to sit down and eat in the morning, offer quick, on-the-go options in place of a full meal. Shakes, granola bars, and fruit are all perfect on-the-go options for busy mornings, giving your child the energy they need for the day.

Problem: Your child begins to forget homework and books at home/school

Routine Remedy: Make a checklist for your child’s school supplies

Create a list of the books, materials, and assignments students need for each day. Have your child use this list to check their backpack before leaving for school. Ensure they have everything for the day. They can also use this list at the end of the school day to make sure they do not leave homework or assignments behind.

Maintaining An Effective After School Routine

Time after school should be used to relax and have fun. However, it’s also important that your child spends time studying and preparing for the school day ahead. Help your child strike a healthy balance between homework and fun by ensuring they have a productive after school routine.

Problem: Your child is spending more and more time watching a screen

Routine Remedy: Create an after school schedule

If too much screen time is interfering with your child’s homework, create a schedule that outline when it’s time to sit down and start homework. You can also include time in the schedule for after-school activities like sports.

According to the Raising Children Network, after-school activities can both reduce screen time and can help kids:

learn to think creatively
problem solve
and express themselves

Problem: Your child begins homework later each night

Routine Remedy: Make evening plans your child will want to participate in

Help your child learn to stop procrastinating by giving them something to look forward to each evening. The catch is that they can only partake if homework is done first. Have a family fgames night, story time, movie with popcorn, or something fun that you spend the evening doing. If your child gets the work done beforehand, they can participate.

Problem: Your child forgets about due dates

Routine Remedy: Help your child record deadlines onto a calendar

To help your child stay organized all year, help them record important due dates on a calendar or agenda. This will help your child see when they need to work on and submit assignments in advance. Create a routine together at the beginning of each week. Record due dates in advance to keep your child organized and relieve any last-minute due date anxiety.

Create a Routine That Works For Your Child

In addition to these tips for helping your child create an effective daily routine, speak with your child about what else can be done to keep a healthy routine going all year. Ask them what would help reduce stress. Discuss how you can help.

An effective routine looks a little different for everyone—so keep on working with your child to find what works best for them!