Back to School

Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are almost over. During the summer it becomes easy to change our routines. We let the children stay up a little later, we prepare meals with less rigid routine, we take off from work early to engage in a favorite recreational activity and enjoy the long daylight hours. Generally, summer is less urgent and more relaxed but then comes the inevitable beginning of school.

The school year creates the parameters for many of the important elements in family life. Routines including when family members with children arise and go to bed, mealtimes, vacation schedules and how money and time are spent are but a few examples.

Education, now perhaps more than any other time in history, is essential for the welfare and happiness of our children. Let children know that you expect school to be a high priority. Encourage children to view their education as a challenge and an opportunity rather something to be avoided or dreaded. The following are some suggestions for making the coming school year successful.

Provide the proper environment for home studying that is free from distraction. Furthermore, by assisting the child when appropriate with homework and special assignments, the parent can place the child’s education in a healthy perspective. The first five to ten minutes in the morning are among the most important of the day. Calm, unrushed positive communication and action must take place. Allow enough time to prepare for the day. Resist the urge to gripe and complain. Depart each day on a pleasant note.

Recognize that the first days or even weeks of school may be stressful for some children. Those who have not gone to school before and are separating from their parents for the first time, those that are new in a town and don’t have many friends, those that are moving from one school to another and other similar situations can produce stress which needs special and added attention from parents and teachers.

Spend time after school talking with your children about how the day went, and allow them to express feelings about teachers, classmates, and subjects in school. Let children know that their feelings and perceptions are important to you. Look over any work that they bring home and show an interest in what they are doing.

This year try making “back to school” a smooth transition for everyone.