Now’s the perfect time to think about Back To School Success
When it’s time for back to school, your kids might be excited but maybe a little nervous, too. Help them with the transition back to school so that the new year is a successful one with higher test scores! Here are 6 tips to make this time easier for you and your child:
- Better Organization
At the beginning of the year when school starts, help your child in creating a system to get organized. Developing good organizational skills is key for success in school and in life. One simple idea can be to Use Checklists! Help your child get into the habit of keeping a "to-do" list. Use checklists to post homework assignments, household chores, and reminders about what materials to bring to class each day. Crossing completed items off the list will give them a sense of accomplishment.
- Improve Their Nutrition
Children need good nutrition for proper growth and maturation and brain development. Yet any parent will tell you the trick is to actually get children to eat these foods. So now is the time to start some good nutritional habits. There are all sorts of ways to get good ingredients into your child’s foods without too much fuss. One easy way is simply to read ingredients. Look for simpler foods that have fewer preservatives and artificial flavors. As you add in one new healthy substitute, you will begin to crowd out the less healthy foods.
- Improve Their Sleep
Over the summer bedtime is often later and some bad habits, like the TV, may have snuck their way into your child’s nighttime routine. So right now start improving this routine. Go back to a set bedtime. Turn off the electronics at least a half-hour before, and get to bed early. Set a routine that your child’s body begins to associate with going to sleep.
- Start A Conversation
The beginning of the year is the best time for you to forge a collaboration with your child’s new teachers. Help your child’s teachers get to know your child by discussing his/her strengths, the issues she/he has overcome, and set expectations in the areas where support is needed. By helping your child’s teacher get the full picture of your child, you can help her formulate a plan to best aid your child.
- Use Audiobooks
In the latest news, audiobooks are the best back-to-school tool! Isn’t that cheating? Shouldn’t children learn to actually read the books that are required this year? Audiobooks are not meant to be a substitute for reading. Instead, they can be an excellent complement to the actual book. For the child with severe struggles in reading, audiobooks provide them a way to understand the plot of the story before they begin to read the book. This will help keep them motivated when the actual reading becomes difficult.
- Have Fun!
Since all children are innately curious and love discovering new things, help your child reconnect with the fun of learning. When he comes to you with a challenge that he doesn’t understand, rephrase it as a puzzle to be figured out or a mystery to be solved. For example, if your daughter loves cooking, she may truly enjoy reading a biography about her favorite chef. Not only will having fun with learning help your child have a great year, but it will establish a love of learning that can lead to a lifetime of success.
