It’s that magical time of the year again—back to school—and you know what that means: back to bedtimes, homework, school supplies, and hectic schedules. But this time of the year doesn’t have to be scary for parents or kids. All it takes is a little summer preparation to ensure that the road back to school is smooth sailing.
First thing’s first: remember all those summer mailings you got from your children’s school about book lists, school supplies, activities fees, and health concerns? Pull them out of the drawer and get organized. Mark any important upcoming events, like parent-teacher nights, on the calendar now so you don’t forget about them as things get busier. Make sure school has the forms they need before your kids head back, that way you can concentrate on making sure they are adjusting rather than worry about all the red tape.
Schedules can get pretty hectic once school starts up again, so take advantage of the relaxed summer schedule while you still can to make any doctor or dentist appointments your child may need. You’ll want to make sure you find out any health issues sooner rather than later. Also, alert the school office as well as your child’s individual teachers about any health concerns, like asthma or food allergies, that could crop up while your child is in school.
Start your school shopping early, that way if you aren’t able to conquer the entire school supply list at once—especially if you have multiple children—you give yourself enough time to get everything over a few weeks. Some teachers require specific supplies, so save your receipts in case you need to return anything.
Start getting your kids back into school habits about a week before school begins. This may mean going to bed and waking up earlier than they have been all summer. Get them in the habit of eating breakfast every morning if they don’t already; they will need that fuel to kick start their day once classes are back in session. Also consider limiting the amount of time they spend in front of the TV during certain hours in exchange for reading, puzzles, or games and activities that get their minds working, so that all those hours spent in class won’t be such a shock to the system.
If your child is starting at a new school this year, or maybe even just a new building, it is not a bad idea to let them know ahead of time of what they’ll be facing on the first day of school. Call the school and see if you are allowed to visit before term starts. You can help your child find his classroom, the lunchroom, his locker, the gym, the nurse’s office, and any other important landmarks he should know about.
If your child is really nervous about school it might even be a good idea to see if you can arrange a meeting with the teacher before classes begin, that way there will be at least one friendly face on the first day of school.
If your children, like most, aren’t too excited about the prospect of hitting the books again, there are a few small things you can do to motivate them. Avoid talking about homework or tests, and instead ask about the friends they’ll be seeing for the first time since June, or point out different things about them that their friends will notice, like a new haircut or how much they’ve grown. Even something as simple as a new backpack with their favorite cartoon character on it can make them excited to return to school.
Contributed by Solomon Brenner Author Black Belt Parenting "The Art of Raising Your Child for Success"
Contributed by Solomon Brenner Author Black Belt Parenting "The Art of Raising Your Child for Success"
