It’s about that time…back-to-school time! While hopefully we’ve all enjoyed the summer season full of sun, fun, rest, and relaxation, the month of August reminds us that school is just around the corner. The locusts are singing their end-of-summer symphony, and the temperatures are slowly creeping downward during the night. Fall is almost here. Time to switch gears and make sure we’re ready for a new school year. Here are a few back-to-school tips that we’ve compiled that should make your transition from summer fun to studious school year as easy as 1, 2, 3:
Talk About It
Going to back to school with brand new classmates and a new teacher can be quite stress-inducing for kids. This is why it’s important to have conversations with your kiddos to make sure they’re prepared for this transition. Tell them exactly what will be happening with a positive spin. For example: “You’re getting so big! You’re going to be in 1st grade this year, and your new teacher is Ms. Harper. She’s so nice. We’ll be meeting her soon. You will have all new kids in your class to make friends with and maybe some kids that you already know.” If they seem extra nervous, remind them that the other kids in their class are nervous too, but that they’re going to do a great job, and they’ll be comfortable and happy in their new classroom before they know it. As mentioned at healthychildren.org, you might also want to ask them what they are worried about and help them work through their concerns together with them.
Prepare
Hand-in-hand with talking about their new back-to-school situation is making sure you and your child are prepared. Schools are usually open one to two weeks before school starts, if you have any questions. Make sure to attend any back-to-school events, such as back-to-school orientation. Meeting their new teacher and getting comfortable in the new environment will take a lot of stress off of that first day.
Back to School Routine
According to pbs.org, it’s important to ease into your new school routine: “Switching from a summer to a school schedule can be stressful for everyone in the household. Avoid first-day-of-school mayhem by practicing your routine a few days in advance.” To practice your new routine, you may want to have your child go to bed earlier, wake up with their alarm clock, practice their new morning ritual, and head off to the bus as if it were an actual school day. Getting used to the new routine will help your child feel more comfortable once school actually starts and will make the first day a much smoother experience for everyone.
Supplies
Make sure you’ve got your child’s school supply list and take a special shopping trip to go get their new supplies. Not only will having the correct tools help them feel prepared but a special shopping trip, complete with a treat afterward, will make it feel fun and exciting. You may even want to allow for a couple splurges like fun pens or a cool notebook.
Another fun supply that you might want to consider for your child this school year is the Personalized Birthday Keepsakes Activity Placemat. Children should know their full name, address, and at least one parent’s real name. This placemat helps teach them this type of useful information. Using a washable marker, your child can write his/her name, trace the other words on the placemat, and begin to memorize this important information. The durable laminated surface makes for ease of use and cleanup. For more learning fun, the placemat is filled with brightly colored letters, shapes, pictures, numbers, and even a rainbow to teach colors.
Back to school is a fun and exciting time for your children, but doing a few things to help prepare for the new school year will ensure a smooth transition for everyone.
