By Tricia Berwick
Backyard barbecues, dips in the pool, building castles in the sand, and trips to the local ice cream shop. Summer at the Jersey Shore is definitely a special time for everyone. However, the lazy days of summer are quickly coming to an end. It’s time to put away the beach toys and lounge chairs because September is here. It’s back to the books for kids and a return to hectic schedules for parents. After weeks of blissful freedom, it’s time for kids to get into a routine again and concentrate on listening to teachers and preparing for school assignments. Here are some tips to make sure your family’s first weeks of the school year go smoothly.
1.) Create an organization station. Designate one area for all school papers, books, backpacks, and lunch bags. Make sure it is accessible for the kids. During the first few days of school, get them into the habit of putting all of their daily supplies in this area.
2.) Establish a routine. During the summer months, kids sleep in and bedtime is usually more flexible as youngsters stay up late for family time or to play with their neighborhood friends. However, now it’s time to develop a schedule again. Even though children don’t like to admit it, they thrive on having a consistent routine in their lives. So, that means getting organized the night before, and getting the kids to hit the sheets at a reasonable hour. Getting a good night of sleep is extremely important. In order for kids to be successful during the day, they need to get an adequate amount of rest. Once your child’s after-school activities and homework assignments are completed, give your little one an opportunity to unwind with a soothing bedtime routine of a bath and quiet reading time. If your child requires a lot of sleep, adjust his bedtime accordingly. Some children require at least 10-12 hours of rest per night, so bump the bedtime back if this is the case.
3.) Prepare the night before. To avoid the mad dash as everyone heads out the door, pack up all backpacks and lunches the night before. Even if you’re completely exhausted, the routine will run more smoothly in the morning if a little preparation is completed during the evening hours. Anything that can be taken care of ahead of time should be done. To avoid extra craziness in the morning, have your child pick out a desirable outfit the night before. When your child wakes up, all he has to do is get dressed and washed for school. Also, take the time to sign all papers and correct homework assignments the evening before. The last thing you need in the morning is to run out to the bus stop with a missing paper! Keep everything by the front door, so kids can just grab-and-go as they head out to catch the bus. Taking an extra fifteen minutes to prepare ahead of time will allow for you to enjoy a smoother and less eventful morning.
4.) Keep the family calendar in a central location. These days, everyone has a digital calendar, either through email or cell phones. But, it’s still important to keep a large visual of the family’s daily events and happenings for everyone to see in a central location (probably the kitchen). This will allow the entire family to keep track of ballet and soccer practices, birthday party invitations, and due dates for long-term assignments and projects. Planning ahead and keeping dates organized will teach your child how to manage homework and project deadlines and when to complete the work around her various extra-curricular activities. This way, there won’t be any questions about which activity is on a specific day or which assignment is due.
5.) Create a homework space. Designate a quiet area of your house where your children can comfortably complete homework assignments and projects. Make sure the space has adequate light and is equipped with pencils, scissors, and glue sticks so your little students are prepared for all of the teacher’s assignments. Also, provide each child with a bin to hold his individual school papers such as forms, trip information, class rules, and project information. If you want your children to take their homework seriously on a nightly basis, then it is imperative to set up a comfortable and reliable homework space for each child.
6.) Get involved in your child’s school. Start the school year off right by getting actively involved in your child’s school. Whether it’s working at the book fair, helping out in your child’s classroom, or assisting teachers on the playground or in the lunch room, it’s important to have a presence in your child’s academic life. Even if it’s a challenge to take time off from your job, maybe it’s feasible to volunteer for a morning or afternoon instead of an entire day. Also, attend back-to-school night, join the Parent-Teacher Organization, or volunteer for a few school events. Becoming an active participant at school will show your child that you value her education. Plus, it will keep you connected to what she is learning in the classroom, how she connects with the teacher, and who her friends are on the playground. In order for children to excel in school, it’s crucial for parents to be as involved as possible and to always keep the lines of communication open.
7.) Make time to read together every night—Kick off the school year on a good note by actively promoting a love for reading in your household. Stimulate your child’s love for learning and get her hooked on books. Take a few minutes to read every night at bedtime and plan for some time to visit the library during the week. Show your children that reading is important to you as well by reading the newspaper, magazines, or a novel in her presence. Read the same chapter books as your child and then discuss characters and the story’s central theme together. Or, start a book club for your child with friends and their parents. To further promote reading, maybe you can volunteer to be a guest reader in your child’s class. Talk to your child’s teacher about the possibility of reading or maybe even bringing in local authors to inspire the children. Raising a reader should be one of your top parenting priorities.
8.) Get the necessary school supplies. Check your child’s class list of supplies and make sure your student has everything she needs to begin the school year on a positive note. Don’t forget to check your child’s supplies from the previous school year. It’s a good bet that many of the pencils and crayons are still in fine condition and can be used again. For those parents in search of new materials, take the time to search the best prices so you can give your kids the tools they need without breaking the bank. One tip is to sign up for coupons on retailer websites. Parents who sign up for newsletters and coupons can save a substantial amount of money during back-to-school shopping sprees. Also, if you have questions and are unsure about some of the supplies, feel free to call the teacher to get answers and discuss any of your concerns. As for backpacks, choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Encourage your child to pack light and organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Also, pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight. Have your kids always use both shoulder straps, too. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
9.) Take preventive measures to avoid getting sick. We all know that going back-to-school means the resurgence of germs, colds and viruses. In order to keep your trips to the doctor’s office at a minimum, make sure you wash your children’s hands as often as possible–before meals and snacks and after bathroom visits. Instill this in your children, and hopefully they will remember to frequently wash when they are away from you, too. Also, stress to your children that they are not allowed to share drinks or snacks at school, to avoid germ swapping and infections. In addition, get your child back on a healthy eating routine of whole grains, fruits, veggies, milk and dairy products. Add in the proper amount of sleep every night, and that is your best defense, as a mom, against sickness hitting your family.
10.) Plan menus. Instead of scrambling for ideas of what to make for dinner after your family arrives home from soccer practice, take a few minutes on Sunday afternoons to plan out the menu for the week. Be sure to pick some hassle-free suppers, like crock pot meals for busy weeknights and include lots of healthy choices, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, ask the kids what they would like to have in their lunch boxes for the upcoming week. Taking a few minutes to plan ahead for meals will help make busy evenings a little less stressful. Plus, it will guarantee your family healthy dinners instead of ordering takeout when everyone is starving after soccer practice. When the little stomachs are growling at 5:30 p.m., you’ll know exactly what your family will be enjoying for dinner that night!
11.) Build confidence. If your kids are starting school for the first time this September and are feeling apprehensive about meeting academic and social expectations, be positive and let your child know that he can always come to you with questions or concerns, no matter what. One way to help ease your child’s fears and anxieties is to prepare them as much as possible before school begins. Point out the positive aspects of starting school and stress that it will be fun. She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had fun and learned some interesting new things at the same time. Another helpful tip is to prepare your child about upcoming situations. For example, if your child walks or rides a bicycle to school, walk or ride the route with him. Or, if your student takes the bus, show her where the bus stop is, tell her about the schedule, and make sure she knows how to find the bus after school. As for after-school care, make sure your child knows he will be staying after school for a special program or coming home to find a babysitter. If necessary, contact the teacher to discuss some of your child’s fears about school or facilitate playdates at your house to help foster friendships with classmates.
12.) Don’t stress about getting a fall wardrobe. We have been bombarded with advertisements and commercials about back-to-school-clothes since Fourth of July. However, for at least the first month or two of the school year, temperatures are still pretty warm, so chances are, your kids will be wearing shorts and t-shirts to school. Take your time looking for sales and get things when your kids need them. For even extra savings, check out eBay. With a little searching, you can often find brand-new or slightly used clothes at a fraction of the price. Or visit some of the neighborhood consignment stores to pick up staples such as jeans, boots, and coats for half the price of department store items.
13.) Create a parent list. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with a few reliable parents, either from the neighborhood or from your child’s class. At some point during the school year, you might find yourself in a major jam and need to ask other parents for help or advice. Keep a list of names, phone numbers, and email addresses by the phone at home and one at work, too. If the daily schedule unexpectedly changes during the day, you will always have a person to call who may be able to help out.
14.) Make it a priority to unplug. Establish clear rules at the beginning of the school year about how much screen time your child will have during the week. Put away the computer games, talk about cell phone time for older children, and limit time spent in front of the television. Make your home a place where you have to study when you come home from school and you have a place for your books. Maintain a clean and organized environment just like what you would have at the office.
15.) Learn about the curriculum. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has made standardized test more important than ever. The National Education Association recommends contacting the state department of education, the school district, or your child’s school for a copy of the standards. The NEA also suggests finding out the goals your child’s teacher has for the year and how students will be tested. In addition, look for ways to help your child develop academic skills at home. Ask your child’s teacher to recommend educational books, websites, or games.
16.) Stay alert. If your child’s eating or sleeping habits have changed, it may be a sign she’s not adjusting well to the challenges of a new school year. If you notice some of these warning signs, talk to your child about what is happening at school and what she finds troublesome. Perhaps email the school counselor or your child’s teacher if there are concerns regarding academic or social skills. Also, if your child has health or medical issues, take the time to speak with the school nurse and discuss your concerns.
17.) Find ways to make going back to school special. Celebrate this special time of the year by getting the kids excited for another exciting scholastic experience. Take them shopping for school supplies with you or let them pick out their own clothes for the first day of school. Find out who some of your child’s new classmates will be and invite them over for a back-to-school party. Especially if your child is starting a new school or beginning school, put in some extra effort to commemorate the occasion.
18.) Discuss emergency situations. It’s important to know what happens if school is delayed or students are dismissed early due to weather. Also, make sure your child knows what to expect if you will not able to be at the bus stop after school and who will be there instead.
19.) Help your child deal with bullies. Bullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical,
verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, or over the Internet. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more common in today’s society, so it’s important for parents to prepare their children with the necessary survival skills to combat this problem. Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to: look the bully in the eye, stand tall and to stay calm. Also, teach your child that it’s okay to walk away and how to say no in a firm voice. Teach your child when and how to ask for help.
20.) Plan for some family time. Of course, hitting the books is important, but don’t forget to plan some quality family time, too. After a busy week, maybe your family could unwind together with a bike ride through the park. Or perhaps a family movie night with popcorn and candy on a Saturday night is something your family regularly looks forward to. The activity doesn’t have to be expensive; the important thing is to plan something that your family enjoys so everyone can relax after meeting deadlines and participating in activities all week. Everyone is always running to and from Monday through Friday, so take some time to relax on the weekends and re-charge your batteries for the upcoming week ahead.
So as summer drifts into early autumn, and everyone heads back to work and school, some kids may be disappointed, but others look forward to the new beginnings September brings. Take some time to get your kids ready and excited for this upcoming school year. Ultimately, their physical and mental well-being will be the better for it, and a successful school year will result.
