EASE BACK INTO SCHOOL

The beginning of school may very well be parents’ most favorite time of the year. Even so, the transition for parents and kids can be a little rough. Here’s help to ease you and your child into the back-to-school groove.

• Transition Your Family from Summer to School
• Back-to-School Tips
• How to Beat the Back-to-School Blues
• School Avoidance: How to Get Your Reluctant Child to Class
• Back-to-School Checklist from PBS KIDS

SOURCE: PBS PARENTS

Good Reads

10 Things Parents Should Do at the Beginning of the School Year

Start Now, to Start the School Year Right by Arne Duncan Ex U.S. Secretary of Education

Back-to-School Resources for Parents – via Edutopia

Back to School Guide – via NEA

How Parents Can Prepare for Back to School Time Excerpt By: Janelle Cox

1. Get back into your sleep routine. To help eradicate those stressful school mornings, set up a regular bedtime and morning time routine to help prepare your child for school. Begin your usual school sleep routine about a week or so before school starts.
2. Shop for school supplies together. To get your child excited about starting a new grade, shop for supplies together. Allow them to pick out their own backpack, lunchbox, etc. This is a great way to give them a little bit of responsibility too!
3. Re­establish school routines. Have your child practice getting back into the rhythm of their daily school routine. You can do this by having them wake up at the same time every day, and eat around the same time they would at school. About a week or so before school starts, plan a few outside activities where your child will have to leave and come home around the same time they would if they were in school. This will help them be rested and ready for the big day.
4. Set up a homework station. Sit down with your child and together designate a time and place where he can do his homework each day. This can be somewhere quiet like in the den, or even in the kitchen while you are preparing dinner. Make sure to choose a time where you are available in case your child
needs your help.
5. Prepare for the unexpected. Working parents know that it can be difficult to find a sitter when your child is sick. Before school even begins, it’s a good idea to have a sitter already lined up in case you get that phone call home from the nurse saying your child is ill.
6. Make an after­school game plan. Make a plan for where your child will go after school lets out for the day. Depending upon the age of your child, figure
out if they will go to a neighbor’s house, an afterschool program, or be allowed to stay home by themselves. This will help eliminate any confusion during the
first few weeks.
7. Turn off the TV and video games. For a lot of children summertime is filled with endless video games and TV programs. Children are usually in shock when they begin school and realize that six hours of their day is going to spent learning and not playing games and watching TV. Ease your child into the learning process by turning off the electrics and encouraging them to read or play quietly.
8. Review school material and information. For most parents, schools send home a packet with a ton of information regarding their child’s new teacher, important dates to remember, emergency forms, and transportation routines. Make sure that you read through this information carefully, and mark down all
important dates on your calendar.
9. Get organized. The best way to prepare for back to school time is to be organized. With school comes a massive amount of paperwork which can consume your household. Designate a spot in your house for homework, permission slips, and any other school­related papers. This can help eliminate all of that paper clutter and make your life less stressful.
10. Get your child’s yearly checkup. School and germs go hand in hand, so it’s best to get your child’s yearly checkup before school even starts. Get any
required vaccinations and ask your pediatrician the best ways your child can stay healthy throughout the school year.

The Book: Start the School Year Right What parents, students, and teachers should know

Activity

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL MAGIC DUST

Kids Books for Starting School