We are less than a month away from the start of the new school year, an exciting time for a lot of kids and parents. Even if you’re not quite ready to let go of summer, here are a few things you can do now that will help ease your children’s transition back to the classroom.

Sleep and nutrition
First of all, it’s important to get your kids back into their school year sleep routines, says pediatrician Dr. Pilar Bradshaw. “We want to get kids to bed in a timely fashion and start getting them up at the same time that they would need to get up for school.”

Consistent, quality sleep is important for a child’s ability to focus and learn and for their body to fight off illness—so for the next several weeks, move your child’s bedtime up 15 minutes every three nights until they are back on schedule. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that school-aged children get 9-12 hours of sleep a night and teens should get 8-10 hours.

Another on the list of back-to-school tips is ensuring your child eats nutritious meals and stays hydrated with water. Children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better at school. Though it is an important meal, parents shouldn’t stress over having an elaborate breakfast.

“Being ready ahead of time with some grab-and-go stuff can be very helpful for busy parents and busy kids,” Dr. Bradshaw says. “The most important thing in breakfast is some protein and some carbs that are going to last a long time.”

That could include hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, cheese, milk, peanut butter, even leftovers from the night before. Quick carb ideas include toast, a bagel or some graham crackers and a banana.

Well check
If your child is due for an annual well check, back-to-school time is a great time to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician.

Dr. Bradshaw says, “That’s the time that you can talk with your doctor about ‘Is my kid up to date with vaccines? Do they need a sports form signed for all the sports that are coming up this year?’”

Now is also a good time to fill prescriptions for EpiPens, inhalers and other medicines that may need to be given to your child during the school day.

Strategies for stress
Be sure to make time to talk with your child about any concerns or worries they have about the new school year. If last school year was a little bumpy or stressful, plan for ways to make the new year go smoother. Dr. Bradshaw suggests calling a family meeting to talk about how you will handle all the busy times that are sure to come over the next nine months.

“Because the things that kids worry about might not occur to us, like they’re worried they can’t get their locker open, or they’re worried they won’t have friends,” Dr. Bradshaw says. “We can’t always anticipate what our kids’ worries are going to be, so just ask them and talk it through.”

Consider the challenges kids face when they’re starting at a new school. It can be helpful to put them in touch with someone at the school who can help with any questions or concerns.

“Try to find an adult on staff at that school who can be a point of contact for your child, whether it’s the principal, a counselor, assistant principal, a homeroom teacher that you can go to during the day if you have a concern that pops up,” Dr. Bradshaw says.

Time management
If you have older students preparing for their first year of college, discuss ways to help them manage their own schedules. If it helps, make sure they have some kind of device to remind themselves of what needs to get done.

“Time management is difficult for adults, so think about these young teens that are just trying it for the first time,” Dr. Bradshaw says.

Most importantly for parents, by setting aside some time to ensure your child is ready to go back to school, you’re preparing them to enjoy a healthy and successful year ahead.