Back-to-school tips for parents: •Clear your schedule. If possible, postpone business trips, volunteer meetings and extra projects. You want to be free to help your child acclimate to the school routine and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children experience at the start of a new school year. •Make lunches the night before school. Older children should help or make their own. Give them the option to buy lunch in school if they prefer and finances permit. •Set alarm clocks. Have school-age children set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning. Praise them for prompt response to morning schedules and bus pickups. •Leave plenty of extra time. Make sure your child has plenty of time to get up, eat breakfast and get to school. For very young children taking the bus, pin to their shirt or backpack an index card with pertinent information, including their teacher’s name and bus number, as well as your daytime contact information. •After school. Review with your children what to do if they get home after school and you’re not there. Be very specific, particularly with young children. Put a note card in their backpack with the name(s) and number(s) of a neighbor who is home during the day as well as a number where you can be reached. •Review your child’s schoolbooks. Talk about what your child will be learning during the year. Share your enthusiasm for the subjects and your confidence in your child’s ability to master the content. Learning skills take time and repetition. Encourage your child to be patient, attentive and positive. •Send a brief note to your child’s teacher. Let the teachers know that you’re interested in getting regular feedback on how and what your child is doing in school. Be sure to attend back-to-school night and introduce yourself to the teachers. Convey a sincere desire to be a partner with your children’s teachers to enhance their learning experience. •Familiarize yourself with the other school professionals. Make an effort to find out who it is in the school or district that can be a resource for you and your child. This can include the principal and front office personnel; school psychologist, counselor and social worker; the reading specialist, speech therapist and school nurse; and the after-school activities coordinator.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 20:41:30 +0000
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