After a long day at school, students are often tired, making it challenging to focus on schoolwork at home. When they arrive home, a welcoming and structured environment can help them transition smoothly from school to home. Establishing after-school routines creates structure, fosters good habits, and improves time management. It helps children stay organized, reduces stress, and allows families to use their time together more effectively.
Here are some ways to structure after-school routines for younger children and teens:
1. Have a nutritious snack.
Younger children or teenagers are likely looking for a snack instantly after arriving home from school. A healthy snack can help manage children’s or teenagers’ appetites and increase their nutrition. If a parent is present at home, take a few moments to make them a healthy snack. If a parent isn’t present, an alternative is to label snack baskets or arrange a snack drawer inside the fridge ahead of time. Some examples are crackers, cheese, oatmeal, vegetable sticks with hummus, and low-fat Greek yogurt. Ensure that after-school snacks does not affect dinner. Planning ahead for snack time and having snacks easily attainable can help children and teenagers make healthy food choices and become more motivated to complete schoolwork.
2. Focus on praying salah.
Encourage your children and teens to pray on time as soon as they arrive home in order to establish a consistent spiritual anchor in the day. Hang a chart, set up athan clocks, or display electronic or Islamic calendars somewhere in the home to visually remind children and teenagers of the prayer times. If they miss Dhuhr prayer at school, encourage them to make up the prayer and perform the remaining prayers (Asr, Maghrib, and Isha) at home.
Narrated by Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
"The first thing that the servant will be asked about on the Day of Judgment is his prayer. If it is good, then he will have succeeded and won; but if it is bad, then he will have failed and lost."
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
This Hadith emphasizes the important role that prayer plays in the life of a Muslim and its significance in determining one's success in the Hereafter.
A parent is a primary example for their children or teenagers. When parents prioritize prayer and consistently perform it on time, they teach their children its importance and instill the habit of punctuality in prayer. Praying in congregation at home with family to earn great rewards in Islam.
Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, reported the following hadith about praying with family members:
“When a man prays in his house with his family, it is better for him than praying alone.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah)
Families come together in worship, strengthen bonds, and nurture spirituality in the household.
3. Make time for homework and study.
Parents are encouraged to set a dedicated time for homework based on their children’s and teenager’s energy and concentration levels to maximize productivity and decrease stress. Assign a specific location that is comfortable and has limited distractions like no technological devices and active younger siblings. It is recommended for parents to provide access to the supplies the child’s and teenager’s needs to complete their homework and assignments. Ideally, parents could arrange a desk in a quiet room that’s comfortable enough for younger children or teenagers to complete their schoolwork. A designated desk is an effective way to allow children or teenagers to recognize their spot to complete their homework and assignments. If possible, parents can supervise younger children and teenagers during this time so they can provide any support that is needed.
4. Ensure the time is used efficiently.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported:
“Allah loves that when any one of you does a job, he does it with excellence.”
(Sunan Al-Bayhaqi)
This hadith emphasizes the significance of putting in effort and striving for excellence in all tasks, reflecting dedication and sincerity in one's work.
Younger children and teenagers can use their time effectively to complete homework and assignments by staying focused and organized. Using time wisely helps them avoid procrastination, balance between school and personal activities effectively, and achieve better grades. Parents can guide children and teenagers to prioritize their workload, encourage consistent effort, and celebrate academic accomplishments.
While younger children or teenagers are completing their homework and assignments, a recommended method for them to use is the Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro technique is a time-management tool that contains dividing tasks into 25-minute periods, known as pomodoros, with breaks assigned in between each period.
These are some advice that can help younger children and teenagers apply the Pomodoro technique:
- Use a timer: Ensures younger children and teens stay on track and don’t overboard their periods. They can use an old-fashioned kitchen timer, a timer app on their phone, or pomodoro timer extensions on the home computer.
- Plan their tasks: Identify the younger children’s tasks and assess how many pomodoro periods they need for each task. Divide difficult tasks on their to-do lists into smaller portions so that they can easily divide them into pomodoro periods. Teenagers can do the steps on their own.
- Use their breaks effectively: Younger children and adolescents can drink water, eat a healthy snack, take a short walk around the house, and stretch their arms. It will help them feel refreshed and return to their schoolwork.
- Change the periods: The younger children and adolescents can modify the timings to suit them better if they feel that it’s not working for them. Marinara timers are timers with modified periods and breaks.
Once the younger children have a list of everything they need to do, parents can help convert it into a daily or weekly schedule for them. Also, parents can help their younger children to decide on prioritizing work and the deadline. Afterwards, parents can record their work on their agenda or print a homework chart. Teenagers can do the following steps on their own. Parents can check if the younger children completed their homework and assignments. On the other hand, they can advise their teenagers to complete their homework and assignments.
5. Reduce electronic distractions.
If parents are present or not, they can use parental control to monitor their children or teens screen time at their home computer or the teen’s phone or tablet. Currently, parents tend to be overwhelmed with the technology that their children and teens have access to. As a result, younger children and teens might be distracted from their technological devices. Moreover, it’s necessary for parents to be stricter about what children view online, as well as the frequency and duration. Parents can establish rules for their child or teenager on the number of hours spent on the computer, phone, or tablet during the weekdays and weekends for leisure. Secondly, parents can select which places in the house that children and teenagers are allowed to use their technological devices. Last, parents can use Apple’s Screen Time, Google Family Link, and Qustodio. Qustodio has extra features such as setting many screen-time schedules.
6. Include physical activity.
Regular physical activity benefits children in many ways. Some health benefits are building stronger bones, maintaining weight, lowered risks of anxiety, depression, obesity, and heart disease. In addition, students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, and more concentrated behaviour.
Parents can help their children and teenagers identify activities they enjoy that will keep them active for at least 60 minutes each day to help release energy, improve focus, and maintain physical health.
If the weather is warmer, some examples of physical activities for younger children and teenagers are:
- Riding on a tricycle around the neighborhood with parent supervision
- Playing tag or catch with other family members or friends
- Exploring nearby parks or nature trails with parents
- Walking or biking to and from school or in the neighborhood
- Playing badminton to improve hand-eye coordination and agility
- Tossing a frisbee with friends or family to work on hand-eye coordination and reflexes
If the weather is colder, some examples indoor activities for younger children and teenagers are:
- Playing ball toss: Toss a soft ball into a basket or bucket to improve hand-eye coordination
- Playing Simon Says: A game where players must follow instructions only if said with the phrase "Simon says," and ignore the instructions if not said, testing their listening and attention skills
- Hide and Seek: A popular game that encourages movement around the house
- Skipping: Great cardiovascular workout that can be done indoors with enough space
- Bodyweight Exercises: Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and planks can be done without equipment
- Stretching: Follow online videos or apps for guided stretching sessions to improve flexibility and reduce stress
Some health benefits are building stronger bones, maintaining weight, lowered risks of anxiety, depression, obesity, and heart disease. In addition, students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, and more concentrated behaviour.
7. Make family time and chores a constant.
Family time brings parents and children together to bond, share experiences, and build strong relationships. It strengthens communication, creates lasting memories, and develops emotional support. Prioritize activities like shared meals, conversations, or games to sustain love, understanding, and a sense of belonging within the family. When children and teenagers head to school and parents attend work, their time together becomes limited after returning home. Families should maximize this time to connect and create cherished memories.
Household responsibilities can help your children and teenagers learn personal responsibility, like maintaining personal belongings and making them feel valued and capable members of the family. Household chores should match a child’s age and ability. Younger children may need a few attempts before completing a chore on their own. On the other hand, teenagers have a higher likelihood of completing a chore independently. Household responsibilities can be completed as a family. Assign your child’s help in determining tasks they can do that could benefit all family members.
Younger children:
- Sorting items: Grouping similar items together, such as sorting crayons by color or organizing books on a shelf.
- Helping with laundry: Matching socks or folding small items like towels.
- Dusting low surfaces: Using a cloth to clean furniture they can easily reach.
Teens:
- Loading or unloading the dishwasher or washing dishes by hand
- Gathering and taking out the garbage
- Cooking or helping with simple meals: Preparing breakfast, snacks, or simple dinner recipes
- Helping their younger sibling’s homework
8. Relax and prepare for the next school day.
Children can have a bit of leisure between dinner and bedtime by doing the following activities:
- Reading: looking at picture books or reading short stories
- Puzzles: Solving simple jigsaw puzzles or memory games
- Drawing or coloring: Engaging in creative activities like coloring a colouring sheet or doodling
- Watching some age-appropriate TV together as a family
Preparations for the next day can include:
- Picking their clothes
- Packing their backpacks
- Planning and preparing snacks or lunches
9. Maintain a consistent bedtime routine.
When families plan ahead before bedtime, it creates a more organized and stress-free morning.
Ideally, there shouldn’t be electronic devices used prior to bedtime. Technological devices (cellphones, tablets, computers, or TV) release blue light which intervenes with the release of sleep-inducing melatonin, boosts alertness, and reset the body’s internal clock to a later schedule. It is recommended to not use electronic devices at least one hour prior to bedtime. A night light or white noise machine might help create sleep.
Daily wind-down activities before bed should include:
- Brushing teeth
- Showering or bathing
- Reading a short story or book
- Making duaa for bedtime
There should also be attention to getting an adequate amount of sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends younger children to sleep between 9 to 12 hours and adolescents to sleep between 8 to 10 hours.
Structuring an after-school routine is essential for helping children and teens balance their responsibilities, personal growth, and well-being. Parents can create a harmonious environment that nurtures discipline and strengthens family bonds. A thoughtful after-school routine sets the stage for long-term success and ensures that these valuable hours are spent effectively.
Amanda Hasan is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Bachelor of Arts) and Humber College (Law Clerk). She is the author of Joyless, an Amazon novella that tells the story of a lonely teenage girl working at an amusement park. More recently, Amanda copyedited several children's stories for Compass Books. She also worked with Muslim Network TV writing scripts, securing guest speakers, and preparing for interviews. Amanda is currently residing in the Greater Toronto Area with her family.
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