Back to School Preparation

Planning ahead can help your child enjoy a successful school year. Advocating through your participation will add to the health, well-being and success of your children, and will help their transition back to school that much more harmonious. Remember: you didn’t want summertime to end, and neither do they! So doing the proper back to school preparation will make it all go smoothly.

Purchase the back to school supplies your child will need
Your child’s school will most likely create a list of things your child will need during this school year. Larger stores are gearing up with great discounts now. If your child’s school allows the use of laptops or tablets, be sure you establish guidelines and consequences for their use.

Create a list of goals WITH your child for the year
Have a chat with your child and go over his last year’s achievements and see where he thinks he could do a better job. Set up expectations with him for this year and be sure you have his agreement. Consider his previous attention difficulties, showing respect for teachers and classmates, attendance, as well as his grades and ask him what he’d like to aim for this year.

See what resources you can find on the internet for getting help with homework, kids activities, etc. so he feel this planning will help him succeed this year.

Outside Activities

Talk to your child about participating in sports, or music, or art outside his regular classroom curriculum. Experts feel that this type of participation promotes bettered learning and retention.

Effective Communication with Teachers

Tell the teacher you want to be involved, and then find ways to participate. Find out what the teacher’s expectations are about homework. Tell the teacher about your child aside from his scholarly abilities: talents, allergies, desires so she can know him at a different level. Find out how the teacher wants to communicate with you (email, notes?) and what is the best time. If there are problems in communicating, involve a counselor or school administrator. Thank the teacher occasionally. If a teacher has to tell you about a problem, look for solutions vs. reacting in anger.

How to Handle Bullying

I hope your child does not encounter this ever, but just in case, here are some positive steps you can take.

• Teach your child how to behave so as to not attract bullying, like walking with awareness and confidence.
• Show your child how to walk around the bully, return to awareness and confidence, and say something nice like “Have a nice day!”
• If the bully continues to threaten, teach your child to say “Stop!” or “No!” with a calm, clear, polite voice, and walk away from the bully.
• Show your children how throwing mean things bullies say into a trash receptacle can remove them from his mentality.
• Show your child where to get help: teacher, principal, parents.

I hope your child’s school experience is better because you read this article and did the proper back to school preparation!