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Welcome Back
Whether your child
is an elementary or secondary school student, preparing
for a new school year is equally
important. The
tips included in
this issue can help get the
year started on the
right track. While some of
these recommendations may
seem more applicable to younger
children at first glance,
they can contribute
to
a positive and productive school experience for most students
throughout their school
years.
Some children may
exhibit more extreme
opposition or fear of
school, or may be coping
with more specific learning
or psychological difficulties.
If your child
demonstrates problems that seem extreme or persist,
you may want to contact
the school to set
up an
appointment with school support staff and your
child’s teachers. They can offer direct or indirect support that
will help identify and
reduce the problem. They may also suggest other resources within the school and
the community to help
you address the situation.
Our newsletters are now in
their 9th year as an
informative resource for parents. Please remember
that if you need
more support, there is
a school psychologist working
at every school.
Get Started on
the
Right Track
-
Hold a family
meeting. Communicate with your child about your expectations
for the coming school year. Talk about before and after school
routines. Be sure to talk
about plans for completing homework. Do not assume your kids
already know what is
expected.
-
Reestablish bedtime and mealtime routines. It is easy to get
out of sync over the
summer. Your child
will respond to the start of school if routines are
introduced and practiced. This sets and communicates expectations. These routines also
provide time for meaningful
dialogue and sharing.
-
Establish
one family calendar. One calendar
for all events helps families keep everything straight. Fill in events
as they
are scheduled and keep the
calendar in clear view
for the entire family. Get
creative and use color
coding. Look over the week’s schedule
with your child
to lessen anxiety and to
make sure you are all prepared for the week ahead.
-
Define a launch pad or
landing area. Create
a space at
home designated for everything that needs to go to school such
as shoes, lunchboxes, backpacks,
jackets, mittens, PE
uniforms, etc. It is like having your own cubby or locker
at home.
It eliminates
morning stress.
-
Set
up simple organization systems. Designate bins or files in a
filing cabinet for all
of the school papers as
they come into your home.
-
Write down need-to-know information.
Provide your child with a list of the
details that he or
she needs to know such as bus
number, homeroom number,
or locker combination. It can provide a sense
of comfort.
-
Talk
about feelings. Ask your
child how he or she feels about the new school
year and let him know how you can help.
-
Communicate confidence and good feelings about school. As a parent,
it is easy to feel sad or
anxious about your child starting back at school, especially on that first day. Keep your emotions in check so
as not to spoil your child’s enthusiasm.
-
Schedule extra time at the beginning
of school. Be available before and after school to support your child’s new routines. Ask about your child’s school
experience and provide encouragement
as needed.
Start the School Year
on a Positive Note
-
Encourage your child to participate in school activities and clubs. Many schools have beginning of
the year activities aimed at promoting school unity and sharing
information about opportunities to join school
clubs and after-school activities. Getting involved will help your child feel connected to his or her
school and foster peer relationships. For younger children,
invite another student from their
class over to play.
-
Share in the
excitement and set an example by attending “Back to School
Night." Meet
your child’s
new teachers,
become knowledgeable about their school’s programs,
and find out more about what
they will be learning.
-
Celebrate completion
of school milestones - start a tradition. Mark
the first week or month back at school
with a special breakfast, dinner
at a favorite restaurant, or an evening walk so your child can tell you all about his
or her teachers, new
classmates and activities.
Develop a Plan for Homework Completion
-
Work with your child to develop a plan at the beginning of the year. This plan should outline all expectations for how homework will be done. Make homework completion into a consistent daily routine.
-
Establish a comfortable, quiet study area. The chosen place can be anywhere as long as it is free from distractions with good lighting to perform homework or study nightly. Have a box of supplies available.
-
Schedule a regular study time. Have a set time for your child to complete homework so that it becomes a routine. Some children need a break and a snack after school, while others want to just “get it done” so they have the rest of the evening free.
-
Establish a daily homework schedule. Establish a plan with your child for completing homework including any breaks that may be needed. The homework session should start with planning. This is a time to organize assignments and decide the order for their completion. End the homework session by placing completed tasks in the appropriate folder or notebook and backpack.
-
Make use of a calendar to map out long-term projects or up-coming assessments. Help your child break large assignments down into smaller parts to be completed over the course of the time allotted and make plans for studying for assessments.
-
Praise your child’s work and efforts. Recognize achievements such as starting homework within 5 minutes of the scheduled homework time.
- Provide the minimum help necessary for your child to be successful.
Efficient Mornings
With a little preparation, you can get your child
moving and out of the house on time each day.
-
Make
meals easy. Prepare lunches for the
next day while fixing dinner.
Have the table set for
breakfast the night
before and avoid foods that take a long time to prepare.
-
Make
sure that your child has his
or her backpack packed
the day before. A perfect
routine for this can be established right after your
child completes nightly homework.
- Check the weather the
night before and
have your child’s clothes
laid out prior to
going to bed.
-
Get up 20 minutes before your
child and allow yourself to
ease into the morning.
Drink coffee, read the newspaper, take a shower, or do whatever
to get into a relaxed state.
-
Teach your child to use an alarm clock.
Praise independent use of it.
- Create a simple checklist that outlines each task your
child needs to complete each morning.
-
Make use of a timer and have
your child try
to beat the clock. Make it fun.
Set a goal with your child with a reward or privilege
to be earned
for successfully reaching
it.
-
Store needed items like brushes or hair
bands in your morning
gathering place such as
the
kitchen or dining
room. This lessens bathroom congestion and allows for some tasks to be completed while
having breakfast.
- If not taking the bus,
set up a carpool
to serve as extra motivation to get going earlier.
Adapted from resources on education.com including “10 Tricks to
Smoother Mornings”
by Alisa Stoudt.
School Psychology Services
8270 Willow Oaks Corp. Dr.
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
571-423-4250
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