Being a teacher, I have seen many students that were completely unprepared to come back to school. I’ll admit, It was difficult to get into the swing of things at first, but after the first few weeks, a routine was established and before I knew it it was June again! The most important aspect of getting ready for school is preparedness and routine. This will help transition your child into their new academic year.
Here are some tips, from a teacher’s perspective, on how to get your child ready for back to school:
- Start an early bed time routine and wake up schedule. The summer months make us shut off those alarm clocks and sleep hours later. By getting a head start on this routine, students have a much easier time waking up in the morning and going to sleep earlier at night.
- Don’t forget breakfast! It really is the most important meal of the day. I am guilty for not starting my mornings off on an empty stomach, but children burn calories much faster and need more fuel in the morning!
- Keep your children reading or engaging in some academic activity throughout the summer. This keeps brains working.
- Go through the teacher’s lists to make sure your child is prepared for his/her classes.
- Come up with a meal plan that helps maintain a schedule of breakfasts and dinners so that your child is properly nourished.
- Make sure your children’s clothes fit! I cannot tell you how many students would come to school with jeans that were too short for them. Children grow (really) fast!
- Let your child lead the way – have them come up with a schedule to manage academics, sports, and game time. Don’t forget time for fun – this is as important as academics!
- Make sure you create an environment where your child feels comfortable talking to you about various issues. Depending on their age (especially middle school) children have many issues surrounding their peers.
- Be an active part of their education. As a parent, involvement is crucial to the success of the student.
- Don’t let your child be stressed about going back to school. Creating a routine will ease them into their schedule (and before you know it, summer will be here again!)
Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.