Getting kids back to school and on a new schedule can be a tug of war without a little preparation. Here are some tips that stand the test of time:

• For the nervous youngster facing a new school or grade, walk through the schedule one week before school begins, visit classrooms, and get a lay of the land to reduce anxiety.
• If the school offers a pre-start, back-to-school night, attend it.
• Beginning a week before the start of school, test sleeping routines by having everyone in the family practice going to bed and getting up at the expected hour.
• Create a chart or to-do list of both the morning and the evening routines so young ones grasp the importance of self-management and independence.