Preparing for School: How to Get Your Kids Ready to Go Back

Issue: August 2010 by Daniel T. Richardson in Education, Inside The Magazine

“Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken.” ~Bill Dodds

The summer sun hangs high in the sky from early morning to the muggy fall of night. Cicadas chirp and fireflies flash secret messages while children dream of cool pool waters and dusty baseball fields. Their minds are free from the hum of term papers, calculus and gym clothes. However, in the middle distance, there looms a ghost of things to come. The school doors will open again ushering in a new year of learning. How can parents prepare for the beginning of a new school year?

One of the first things that parents can do is to segue between the somewhat lax routines of summer to the more structured routines of school. For example, set bedtimes and bath routines to sync with those of the school year. It is also important to re-institute specific mealtimes, particularly breakfast routines. The sooner this is started, the easier the adjustment will be.

It is also helpful to make sure that children are beginning the new year healthy. Schedule doctor and dentist appointments before school begins to make sure that children are ready for their first day, and line up all of your child’s health information for school registration.

Be sure to read any materials sent by your child’s school thoroughly. These packets provide a wealth of helpful information as well as needed forms and materials. Some of this information could be related to school sports, student health and course data.

Make sure your calendar is marked with any and all relevant dates for school-related functions. This includes registration days and back-to-school nights. These dates are an important opportunity, not only to prepare your child for the upcoming year, but to have the teachers meet your child. This can provide an opportunity to discuss class expectations with the teacher as well as concerns you might have as a parent. This can include things as simple as your child’s allergies to more complex issues, like his or her learning style.

Visiting the school before the first day can also serve as an opportunity to introduce or re-acquaint yourself and your child with the school. Make sure your child knows the location of important areas such as the administrative office, classes and the medical office. In addition, it would be beneficial to discuss drop-off and pick-up procedures at this time. Make sure your child is aware of the bus schedule or, if necessary, how parent pick-up works at your school.

Don’t neglect those back-to-school nights and school-related conference dates. These times can be incredibly important in monitoring your child’s progress and circumventing potential negative issues.

Another way to prepare children for the coming year is through the annual purchasing of school supplies. Who doesn’t remember the excitement of wearing that brand new outfit and breaking into a pack of erasable ink pens? Many schools post needed supplies in local shopping centers and they can even be found in newspapers. It also helps to have these purchased supplies packed and ready for the first day of school.

Minimize distractions in the morning, like the TV. The National Association of School Psychologists says on their Web site, “Encourage your child to play quiet games, do puzzles, flash cards, color or read as early morning activities instead of watching television. This will help ease your child into the learning process and school routine. If possible, maintain this practice throughout the school year. Television is distracting for many children, and your child will arrive at school better prepared to learn each morning if he or she has engaged in less passive activities.”

It is also important that for the first few weeks of school that you minimize any activity that might add to the potential stress of returning to school. If possible, do not start any important business projects and limit extra-curricular activities with your children so that those first few weeks back can focus on acclimating to the new year and the routines and expectations school brings. As those first few weeks roll by, it is critical that parents take an active role in what their children are doing in school. For example, make sure homework routines are clearly established. Respond to any communications that are sent by your child’s teacher and school. Foster the relationship between yourself, your child and your teacher. This will help set the standard for a successful year.

Finally, it is very important to maintain a positive attitude regarding school. Be sure to share these feelings with your child. Doing so will help ease your child’s potential concerns. However, it is important to not go overboard with preparations for school. Doing so might actually add undue stress and tension to the process. It is also important to not use the return to school as the opportunity to conduct a complete overhaul on how the family operates. Keep everything in perspective and only implement new procedures that make sense in light of the new school year.

The return to school can be a daunting task for children and for parents. It means the end to those carefree, halcyon days of summer and a return to the brick walls and workload of the schoolhouse. However imposing it may be, it does not need to be a negative experience. Focusing on the pleasant aspects of school, the learning and social interaction, can help ease the discomfort and make for an exciting introduction to the new year. Those long summer days will end, but going from the sweet smell of fresh mown grass to that of freshly sharpened pencils isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Preparation and planning can go a long way towards making this year your child’s best year in school.

Resources for Parents:

http://school.familyeducation.com/back-to-school/school/34528.html

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/home_school/b2shandout.aspx

http://parenting.kaboose.com/education-and-learning/back-to-school-countdown.html