First Day of School Preparation
SHOPPING: Bring your children along for back-to-school shopping. Help them feel the excitement of a new school year.
HELLO. HOW DO YOU DO? Meet your child’s teacher on day one and start your relationship off on the right foot. Let the teacher know that you want to be involved in your child’s education.
AFTER SCHOOL: If you have a child care provider or special activities for after school hours, be sure everyone - the sitter, the driver who picks up your children, the bus driver, extra-curricular activities coaches and instructors – are all on the same page.
Study Tips
VARIETY: Sometimes variety is important in studying. You can have more than one study space. A change of scenery from your quiet place at home to a nearby coffee shop, library, park or just moving around the house can be helpful in getting your brain to hold onto information.
PLANNING: Your school planner can be used for more than homework assignments. Mark down extracurricular activities, work and social commitments. Don’t forget exams, band practices, sports games, SAT dates and half-days and holidays.
CHUNKING: With big assignments, keep from falling behind by completing one piece of your project every few days.
Preventing Bullying
BE A FRIEND: Be a friend to someone who is being bullied. Walk with the person, sit together at lunch, invite them into your group of friends, and “friend” them on Facebook.
BE COURAGEOUS: Don’t be afraid to think independently. Take a risk, speak out, and stand up to injustice.
DON’T BULLY: Avoid gossip, rumors, online bullying, and laughing at mean remarks.
Parental and Self-Discipline
GROUND RULES: Create ground rules. Figure out what distractions take you away from your school work and use them as rewards for AFTER you finish your assignments.
ROUTINE: Time yourself getting up, getting dressed and ready for class, finding books and supplies - getting out the door and walking in and taking your seat. Then, establish a routine that will give you plenty of time (include unexpected things that might hold you up) and stand back and applaud as you get it all done without being late.
SET GOALS: Start your new year off with a bang. What do you want to accomplish in 2019-2020? Great grades? Awards? Cheerleading? Becoming a soccer star? New friends? Graduating Summa Cum Laude? Write them all down and keep checking back to watch your progress.
Health and Well-Being
SLEEP: Sleep is important for everyone. Pediatricians recommend that children ages 6-12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, and teens get 8 to 10 hours. How do you do it? Turn off devices and allow some old-school book-reading and magazine browsing before bed. Consider darkening shades when daylight savings time keeps the bedroom too bright. After noon, start to ease off caffeine, sports drinks, energy drinks, anything that keeps you up at night.
SPORTS EXAM: Any student who plays school sports needs a sports physical. This is a more focused examination than an annual wellness checkup. It reviews heart and lung health, breathing or exertion issues and includes consideration of a child’s muscles and bones.
EYE EXAM: Even if no complaints are voiced, watch for these signs that your child’s eyes need attention: squinting into the distance, sitting too close to a screen, recurring headaches when reading or using digital devices, losing their place while reading, slipping behind in reading, and poor concentration. If your child already has glasses or contacts, there may be a need to update the prescription.
I’M FINE: Don’t accept “fine” as an answer. If you suspect depression, anxiety and stress, your child may not be telling you what’s going on in school. Talk about it.
BACKPACK BASICS: Wearing your books on your back can be harder for youngsters in upper grades. A load of books for several courses and a laptop can mean carrying as much as 30 pounds on your back. Avoid shoulder, neck and back strain by making sure your child’s backpack fits well, with adjustable shoulder strap padding. Remind them to wear the backpack with both straps over both shoulders to balance the load. Some parents are changing to rolling backpacks. Before you invest, check with your child’s school to be certain they are permitted.
