It’s that time of the year again. The holidays are over, much to the great disappointment of children and… well, not so much when it comes to parents. All those summer routines are gone and many children are going to find it extremely difficult to get back on track once the school starts.
That’s when parents are supposed to step in and help them go through another transition period as smoothly as possible. This aid consists of several steps that should be taken in cooperation and coordination with either children or teachers. Here are some of the most important ones.
Re-establish sleep routine
A few days before the end of school holiday you should impose the “school regime” when it comes to bedtime and getting up. This should help your kids be better prepared for the first week back at school.
Prepare everything
Don’t leave it until the last day to go shopping for books, notebooks and other school equipment, since it creates unnecessary stress right before another, even bigger one. So, make a list well in advance and take your kids with you. Let them choose pencils, pens and drink bottles in order to feel more relaxed.
Talk to you kids
It’s normal for kids to be apprehensive about going back to school. That’s why you need to allow them to talk to you about their fears. Show them you are always there for them and that they’ll never be deprived of your support. Instead of offering answers, let them reach their own conclusions by asking the right questions. That should boost their confidence a lot.
Get additional support
If you know that your kids are struggling with a particular subject or are preparing for an entrance exam soon, it might be a good idea to find them a tutor, especially if you don’t have enough time to help out. Also, explore the option of finding valuable documents that could be useful, such as popular SACE notes, which can really be helpful.
Meet the teachers
It’s very important to know who is teaching your kids and to have a good relationship with them. Show the teachers that you’re interested in helping your kids and that you appreciate the effort the teachers are putting in. Volunteer to help if possible and make sure you attend all events organised by the school.
Avoid negativity
A negative attitude and approach to school won’t do your kids any good, but in order for them to be positive, you have to act like that. If your kids see that you both talk the talk and walk the walk, they’ll be much more likely to adopt such behaviour themselves.
Don’t overburden them
One of the common mistakes many parents make is to organise too many extracurricular activities for their kids. This usually leads to young ones being too tired to learn, which always results in underachievement and frustration. In order to avoid this trap, make sure your kids have enough time to do their homework and relax during the week.
Be prepared for possible underachievement
There are likely to be moments when your kids will not get the grade they were hoping for. This usually causes frustration and disappointment, which can have detrimental effects on future performance. Your job is to lift the spirits up and help your kids keep their motivation high. This is best done by talking to them and assuring them that it’s normal to underperform sometimes. The important thing is not to lose focus and overcome all obstacles along the way.
As you can see, the most important thing is to be fully informed about your kids’ progress and everything that is happening at school. It’s vital that communication channels with both the kids and teachers are open and functioning perfectly. Also, you need to be patient and work towards the ultimate goal: helping your kids reap as many benefits of education as possible.