The Sounds of August

Aug 31

3 min read

The cicadas have been singing outside my door lately.

And every time I hear them, I am taken right back to being a little girl at my Granny's beach cottage in Northern Wisconsin.

There was something about the sound of cicadas there in August that told me summer was coming to an end. I didn't need a calendar. I didn't need someone to tell me.

I just knew.

Soon there would be school supplies to buy, new Buster Browns to break in, (yes, I'm THAT old) earlier bedtimes, and the familiar rhythm of another school year beginning.

As a child, I remember feeling a little sad that summer was ending—but I also loved the excitement of a new school year. New notebooks. New pencils. New teachers. New beginnings. Making those crazy book covers out of paper bags!

Funny how those sounds can bring all of that back.

And now, as a chiropractor and a Nana, I hear those cicadas a little differently.

I hear them as a reminder that our kids are about to make a big transition.

Summer tends to be wonderfully unstructured. Bedtimes get later. Mornings are slower. Kids spend more time outside, play a little harder, and schedules can become pretty flexible.

Then suddenly...

School.

The alarm clock rings.

Backpacks get loaded.

Breakfast has to happen before the bus arrives.

And little bodies that have been living on summer time are expected to jump right back into a routine, or, start a brand new routine if they are just starting their education journey.

So before the first bell rings, there are a few simple things we can do to help our kids make that transition a little easier.

Start easing back into a routine.

If bedtime has drifted later over the summer, start moving it back toward the school-year schedule a little at a time. The same goes for wake-up time. A gradual adjustment is often easier than trying to change everything the night before school starts.

Pay attention to backpacks.

A backpack should fit properly and shouldn't be overloaded with everything your child owns. Encourage kids to use both shoulder straps and keep the heaviest items closer to their back.

Keep them moving.

School means more sitting, so make sure kids still have plenty of opportunities to run, play, stretch, and move. Their bodies—and their brains ESPECIALLY—need it.

Don't forget the basics.

Good nutrition (including a good breakfast not a sugar laden feast), plenty of water, adequate sleep, and regular movement can make a tremendous difference in how children feel and function throughout the school day.

And perhaps most importantly, remember that transitions can be stressful for kids, too.

A new classroom. A new teacher. New expectations. New friends. Even children who are excited about school can feel a little nervous.

Sometimes the best thing we can give them is simply a little extra patience while they find their rhythm again.

Because our kids aren't machines.

They don't go from “summer” to “school” with the flip of a switch.

Their bodies and nervous systems need time to adjust, too.

So as you hear the cicadas singing their late-summer song, take a minute to enjoy it.

Summer isn't quite over yet.

And there's still time for one more popsicle, one more barefoot adventure, one more evening outside.

But if those sounds have you thinking about school, you're not alone.

August has a way of reminding us that seasons change.

And sometimes, the best way to prepare for the next one is simply to slow down long enough to notice that it's coming.