Whether it’s your first or fifth time preparing your stepchildren for the upcoming school year, as a stepparent you face challenges that traditional parents don’t have to deal with. However, you are not alone. According to Stepfamily.org, 1,300 new reconstituted families are created every day. Get going as you prepare your family for the school year and win the best stepfather of the year award by following these back-to-school tips.

Establish a coherent educational plan

To enforce the homework rules, the other parents involved in their stepchildren’s lives need to be supportive, helpful, and on the same page. If possible, at the beginning of the school year, meet with everyone involved in parenting. During the meeting, discuss how homework hours or internet time for playing games or watching videos should be handled. Cooperation as a team makes it easier to keep your children on track and academically focused. Also, it is better to work out these details at the beginning of the school year, rather than trying to fix a situation in the middle of the semester. Be civil to the other parent; It can be nearly impossible to agree on a viable solution to school problems if parents fight each other.

Get into a routine

Children benefit from a routine for school work, housework, socializing, free time, and other activities. When you set them into a routine, it’s easy for everyone in the household to know exactly what they should be doing at any given time. Try to extend this routine to the other parent’s home, especially if the children spend a significant amount of time between the two houses. Disrupting the pattern and routine every time they leave for a weekend or vacation visit can break good habits and even cause anxiety. Additionally, ED.gov reports that it is especially important to focus on a normal school time for sleep. Rather than letting them stay up as late as they want during the carefree days of summer, set a time during the night for a bath, a snack, and a story. Make sure your kids are also used to waking up at the same time every morning.

Voluntary

Volunteering at the school can help you become more involved in the lives of your stepchildren. You will meet other parents, students, and teachers, which will also make you a more active and conscientious parent. You are doing everything you can to help and be a positive role model. Talk to your partner first before spending more time at school or establishing a routine. It can take time to build the trust with children and your partner to take these types of actions without appearing to push yourself over the edge.