Creating an After School Rhythm
It can be a stressful and somewhat chaotic time when a teen gets home from school and has to transition to figuring out how to work on homework assignments, practice their instruments, and complete any chores while also finding time to engage in some free time to decompress after the long day at school.
One simple solution is to create an “after school rhythm” that breaks down all of the tasks that a teen needs to do when they get home from school. Similar to a morning or nighttime rhythm, the goal is to clearly identify the tasks and then define any expectations about the tasks that need to be completed, which often leads to decreased frustration, stress, and overwhelm from the parent, teen, and entire family. The parent may still need to provide some support to teens for some specific steps (e.g., identifying what homework assignments need to be done today), but should try to actively fade back support over time so that the teen can become more independent with their after school rhythm.
See below for examples of a middle-schooler’s and a high schooler’s after school rhythms. There are a lot of similarities, but a high schooler may have more activities or tasks to juggle (e.g., working a part-time job two days during the week, needing to dedicate more time to studying for tests or writing essays, getting home later due to swim practice). A middle schooler may also need tasks broken down into more specific or detailed steps (e.g., write down the chores that need to be done rather than saying “Do your chores.”).
Similar to the morning routine, it can be helpful to use strategies such as a checklist of the steps of the after school rhythm (e.g., on a piece of paper, on a whiteboard, on an electronic calendar) and reminders about when to start certain tasks (e.g., alarm that goes off at 4:30pm as a reminder to practice piano or to start homework). The parent can also go through the after school rhythm with the teen after they get home to let them know about any changes in the family’s schedule (e.g., eating dinner later because a sibling has a track meet, need to run several errands after school so the rhythm will be pushed back 45 minutes). However, starting an after-school rhythm in elementary or middle school can make it easier to keep the routine going in high school and beyond.
| Middle Schooler’s After School Rhythm | High Schooler’s After School Rhythm |
| Get home at 3:45pm. | Get home at 2:50pm. |
| Unpack backpack. LunchboxWater bottleAny papersPlanner | Have a snack and free time until 3:15pm. |
| Have a snack. | Unpack backpack and homework folder. |
| Free time until 4:30pm. | Check that all assignments are written down in planner and prioritize what needs to be completed for or studied today. |
| Make a list of all homework assignments that need to be completed in planner. Have Mom check and sign the planner. | Work on homework at desk until 5pm and take a 5-minute break every 30 minutes. Use alarm for 5-minute breaks |
| Work on homework assignments at the dining room table for 45-60 minutes. Can take short breaks every 25-30 minutes. | Feed the dog and help with making dinner. |
| Practice piano for 15 minutes (set the timer). | Finish homework and study for any tests or quizzes. |
| Complete chores. Put laundry away.Put dishes from dinner in dishwasher. | Put planner and binder with homework folder in backpack. |
| Finish up any homework. Put planner and all homework assignments in backpack. | Take the dog for a walk. |
| Free time until 8:15pm. | Take a shower and do nighttime rhythm. |
| Start nighttime rhythm. | Free time until bed at 9:45pm. |
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