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Back to School Building Blocks
Sharing Responsibility
Encourage children to take responsibility for their belongings by putting their toys in special places and by hanging, folding, and putting away clothes. Early practice will help children take better care of mittens, lunch boxes and other personal items when in school.
Keeping track of belongings is a skill that takes several years for some children to master. This can be frustrating for parents -- especially when a child loses a brand-new, expensive mitten. Help children print and recognize their names on personal items. Help them learn to check lost-and-found boxes at their school.
Building Self Esteem
Tenderly assist your children in building their self-help skills. It makes children feel good if they can zip, button, and tie with little or no help from others. Kindergartners who can perform such tasks often volunteer to help classmates and make friends while being helpful. Teachers realize the importance of praise and often show their approval when children show initiative. Every opportunity for praise helps to build children's self-esteem. Praise your child every chance you get…even for little things.
Exercising Patience
Set aside time each day to talk about school. Back-to-school time offers excellent opportunities for parents and youngsters to talk about academic goals, extra-curricular interests, and scheduled school events. Social interaction is a natural part of development. Discuss choosing friends wisely, the influence of peer pressure, and trusting personal feelings about people. Talk with children about making good decisions and accepting responsibility for choices they make. Explore alternatives and consequences of possible choices.
Elementary and middle-school children experience a different anxiety as they move from one grade to another. There are different schedules, class changes, teachers, classmates, friends, and, at times, schools. Each school year brings a period of adjustment. Adult patience and encouragement are needed and wanted during this time. Be a good listener.
Working Together to Set and Enforce Rules
Establish basic rules regarding bedtime, chores, television, computer, video games, and telephone. It is a good idea to begin practicing these rules a week or two before school. Relate rules and limits to such factors as children's ages and when they must be up in the morning.
For all children, make lists of chores expected of them during the week. Coordinate them with homework and study time. Consistency is important for children of all ages.
Plan ahead to avoid conflicts surrounding back-to-school demands. Spend a few hours on weekends cleaning and organizing clothing and toys. During the week, lay out clothes, set the table, prepare lunch if necessary, and put books, completed homework and lunch money in a designated place so it’s easy to find in the morning rush.
Be positive about school and education. Be positive about your children’s teachers and school faculty. Be supportive of your school and your school’s activities.
Work together with your children for a successful school year.
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