Miriam Rachel

Back to School Tips Whenever summer is nearing the end and you are both looking forward to and dreading the time when your kids have to go back to school- it is time to start getting organized. You are looking forward to your kids returning to school because they will be finally kept busy while you can focus on your work again, or your life in general. You would especially feel that way if your kids did not spend a lot of time in camp during the summer, and ended up becoming bored at home. Or, if you did what you could to keep them occupied and busy, you were not able to focus on your own life while school was off for the summer. However, at the same time even if you can't wait for your kids to get back to school, you are dreading this time as well because of the possible conflicts with teachers could arise. Not to mention, your kids could have issues with bullies, and so on! Another big stressor on your mind when it comes to your kids going back to school is getting them ready! That means you are going to be feeling pressured to get the kids' school supplies, and dealing with line-ups at stores like Staples or Walmart because all of the other parents are rushing to get their children ready for school as well. In fact, the back to school craze can be comparable to the holiday craze leading up to Christmas! However, there are useful tips that parents can utilize for when they are getting their kids ready to go back to school which can help reduce stress overall. Let's go over them right now! Be Sure To Have The Proper School Supplies That Are Needed For Classes Many teachers will send a list of supplies that are needed for school right around the time that either the school year ends so they have a head start for the following year- or in some cases, school administrators contact parents a month before school starts during the summer for this reason. In some cases, teachers give out a list of requires supplies during the first week back to school. However, that is when kids and parents become stressed due to having to find supplies at the last minute that are likely sold out due to the fact that they were already grabbed by other parents getting their kids ready! However, if you do not have a list provided by the school yet and school is starting in just a few weeks, then you can purchase supplies that you know your kids will need such as binders, lined and graph paper, pencil crayons, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, math sets, and so on. Don't forget the backpack! In fact- it is best to purchase extra supplies so that your child is extra prepared. This way, if the supplies that you know your child will need is there, and already put into the backpack- then that is one stressor that parents and kids will not have to worry about. In fact, it is probably a good idea to get the supplies three weeks before school starts so the rush and the line-ups can be avoided! You can also make the trip to get these supplies on your own without your child if you are worried about spoiling the rest of the summer for him or her. Be Sure to Get An Agenda Book Many schools provide agenda books, and most of the time they charge parents for these books but they are necessary! However, some schools do not provide these at all, and if not then be sure to get your child one. They are a must-have when it comes to helping kids manage their time better. For instance, if they know they have an assignment due on a certain date, they will have that date marked on the agenda so they will not forget. The same goes for a test or an important event. Agendas help kids learn to organize themselves as well, so they can learn to stay on top of everything. Staying organized is a crucial life-skill that kids will need to carry through life. Pay Attention To The Latest Fashion Trends The last thing parents ever want to see happen to their kids is that they are being picked on and bullied at school, or anywhere else for that matter. Therefore, one way to help reduce the risk of a child becoming a victim to that is to make sure they are wearing clothing that is considered to be cool. Stores like The Gap and Old Navy will sell clothing that is in style, and be sure to purchase clothes from stores like that and be sure to do the shopping several weeks before school startsthis way your kids are well stocked for the beginning of the school year anyway, and you won't have to put up with crazy line-ups one week or a few days before school- or worse- end up having to search for trendy clothing for your kids only to find out that the stores are out of stock because other parents wanted to snatch up the cool clothes! Get Your Kids Into the Academic Mode Before School Starts The last thing kids will want is to do any work, even during the summer. They can most definitely take a break from it right after the school year ends, as well as during the early part of the summer. However, as soon as mid-summer hits, it is a good idea to have your kids do some reading, even do a few math problems- or if your kids are seeing tutors during the school year, maybe arrange to have the tutor work with them several weeks before school starts. Whenever we stop doing a task of any kind for a while, we tend to get rusty. The same will happen to the kids whenever they have been away from school for a few months during the summer. This way, if their brains are worked with again before the new school year begins, they will be in better shape for when they return. Don't Let Your Kids Procrastinate Procrastination is a terrible habit for kids and adults to get into. For instance, if kids leave studying for a test the night before it is meant to be taken- they will cram information in within a matter of a few hours which will be forgotten fast. Therefore, they will fail the test. Procrastination causes failure to happen, as well as low-quality results in any kind of work. Therefore, parents should assign their children chores during the course of the summer (or at all times of the year), and place an expectation for them to complete it by a certain time. It must be stressed to them that the sooner they do it, the better they will feel after completing it sooner rather than later. If kids pick up a habit to take care of tasks as soon as they are given, or within a reasonable timeframe after they have been assigned- then they will carry that habit over to how they tackle their school work and studies as well. Help Your Kids Make a List of Their Academic Goals A week or two before school starts, sit down with your kids and talk about what goals they have for the upcoming year, and how they plan to achieve them. Take a pen and paper, and have your kids write them out. If one of your kids admits that he or she did not put a great effort in math during the previous school year, and wants to do better- then that is a goal that your child has which must be added to the list. Then the next thing to talk about is how he or she will stay accountable in order to meet that goal? By the way, some goals made for the upcoming school year do not necessarily have to be academic. If one of your kids wants to get that varsity spot on the basketball team or make that lead role in a school play- those goals need to be added to the list! And again, help the child make a plan of action in order to remain accountable so that those goals can be achieved. Encourage Your Kids To Get Involved With The School Community Creating an active social life as well as discovering new interests through leisure is just as important as focusing on academics. It is incredibly important for your kids to become involved with the school community so they can pursue their interests, as well as meet peers with similar interests. In fact, many studies have been conducted in the past have shown that students who are involved in school activities, as well as sports, tend to achieve higher grades. Therefore if playing sports is an interest that one of your kids has- encourage him or her to try out for the school team. If acting or music is an interest that one of your kids has, then tell him or her to join the school band or theater so the talent can be shared with others. Tell them to join clubs that interest them, and that they must make an effort to attend all meetings- or most of them anyway. Make An Appointment with a Dietician If your kids have not been eating healthy foods over the summer, and you have been on the go with them buying them fast foods- then when they are going back to school, they cannot live on junk food. Fast food, as well as all kinds of junk food, is loaded with trans fats as well as refined carbohydrates and sugar. They will end up with a momentary energy burst, and then be tired for the rest of the time. They will be not in a frame of mind to learn due to poor nutrition. Therefore, you want to make sure that your kids are going to be eating healthy meals and snacks. If time constraints are an issue for you and your kids, which it will be- the dietician will advise you on what kind of quick healthy meals and snacks you can give your kids for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It may be a good idea to give your kids a good-quality multivitamin as well so that they are receiving the nutrition they need to function properly. It is also important to note that Omega-3 supplements are recommended to help strengthen their brain power, attention spans, and memory. However, if you are unsure about whether it is necessary to give your kids supplements, always consult the pediatrician for advice on that. Get Into A Routine During the summer, anyone's routine is disrupted between kids going to camp for just a few weeks, and then picking up and going on vacation- there is no set routine at all! Therefore, before school begins, creating a routine for your kids to follow is crucial. For instance, kids will get homework or will need to make time to study for tests and exams. Will it be before dinner or after dinner? They will find a time that works best for them- however, they need to stick to that, and use the time to focus. If your kids have to attend extracurricular activities, then they will have to create study or work time around that- which will also become part of their weekly routine. Back to school is a stressful time for parents and kids. However, if the tips discussed above can be utilized well, and taken advantage of the most- then the back to school craze will be easier to manage, both for parents and kids. Kids also need to remember that each school year is an opportunity to create a new start, make new friends and realize that they have the potential to make their new school years a fantastic one. Parents' support is needed in order to help your kids achieve this goal! Word count: 2015