The new school year is a challenge not only for children, but also for parents. We have to adequately prepare ourselves for this new period of a child’s life, and there are some good ways to do that. According to Psychologist, Psychotherapist, and mother-of-four, Marie Hartwell-Walker, parents seem to understand these principles, but it won’t hurt anybody to repeat them!
Life is inevitably changing with the first day of school. We tend to promise something for ourselves or our little ones, but we don’t always live up to that promise. Here are five principles that may make back-to-school a bit easier on the entire family:
1. Speak positively about school
Of course, you hated a certain teacher, and remember the difficult exams and the mountain of homework with horror. But take some time and think about whether or not it’s really worth to share such memories with your children. You should try to emphasize the good sides of the school experience, and try to make it as pleasant as possible for your little one.
When a child is in need of our support, it won’t help him to hear stories about how math won’t be needed in life, or that you think the amount of homework being assigned is way too much, or how much you hated your teacher – and so on. Better to give guidance on how to find common ground with the teacher!
2. Think about your child’s daily routine
Planning and organization have not hurt anyone yet. And it is necessary for very sensitive children. Help your child to plan her agenda, which consists of both recreation and study time. And it is better to immediately agree that the computer and the phone can be used only after the homework is done. If you strictly follow the rules with your child, you will not have any disputes and complaints, and your child will work more productively.
3. A child must have her own work space
You probably work in an office or some other “officially” designated area where you can find everything necessary for productive work time. So, it is also useful to create a working environment for your kids, too. And it doesn’t matter if it is simply an arranged kitchen table or a desk in their room. Agreed upon work space for your child allows him to understand that parents take his studies seriously.
4. Take care of school supplies in advance
It is difficult to work properly if you don’t have everything necessary nearby. It is useful for your child to have pencils, notebooks, paper, and pens in stock, so she can work without stopping. Surely, right now, the biggest school sales are over, but you can still find some decent discounts at Target.com. The best we found was $10 off your $50+ purchase on Target.com. So, advantage of this and restock your school supplies if you didn’t have enough time yet or forgot to buy something!
It is also worth finding specific space for each and every item in the house. Teach your child that everything has to have its place – so he will be able to handle homework much faster and more effectively.
5. Mark deadlines
Help your child work with a calendar and make sure to mark all the important deadlines she has – such as when she needs to finish that recommended book or have a project prepared. If he has a long-term project, divide the project into a few smaller deadlines and work slowly. This way neither you nor your child won’t have to panic that only three days are left before the deadline, and nothing is read or done. This will help get children accustomed to planning their time and, well, to be more responsible.
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.