According to the National Association of School Psychologists, getting a new school year off to a good start can influence a child’s attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. The transition from August to September can be difficult for both children and parents. Even children who are eager to return to class must adjust to the greater levels of activity, structure, and, for some, pressures associated with school life.
The degree of adjustment depends on the child, but parents can help their children (and the rest of the family) manage the increased pace of life by planning ahead, being realistic, and maintaining a positive attitude. Here are a few suggestions to help ease the transition and promote a successful school experience.
Review All Information
Review all materials sent by the school as soon as they arrive. These packets include important information about your child’s teacher, room number, school supply requirements, sign-ups for after-school sports and activities, school calendars, bus transportation, health and emergency forms, and volunteer opportunities.
Mark Your Calendar
Make a note of important dates, especially back-to-school nights. This is especially important if you have children in more than one school and need to juggle obligations. Arrange for a babysitter now, if necessary.
Make Copies
Make copies of all your child’s health and emergency information for reference. Health forms are typically good for more than a year and can be used again for camps, extracurricular activities, and the following school year.
Buy School Supplies Early
Try to buy school supplies as early as possible and fill your child’s backpack a week or two before school starts. Older children can help do this. Make sure they use a checklist that you can review. Some teachers require specific supplies, so save receipts for items that you may need to return later.
Re-establish Bedtime and Mealtime Routines
Plan to re-establish the bedtime and mealtime routines (especially breakfast) at least one week before school starts. Prepare your child for this change by talking with him about the benefits of school routines in terms of not becoming over-tired or overwhelmed by school work and activities. Include pre-bedtime reading and household chores if these were suspended during the summer.
Turn Off the TV
Encourage your child to play quiet games, do puzzles, study flash cards, color, or read as early morning activities instead of watching television. This will help ease your child into the learning process and school routine. If possible, maintain this practice throughout the school year. Television is distracting for many children, and your child will arrive at school better prepared to learn each morning if he or she has engaged in less passive activities.
Visit School With Your Child
If your child is young or in a new school, take him to visit the school. Meeting his teacher, locating his classroom, locker and the lunchroom, will help ease pre-school anxieties and also allow your child to ask questions about the new environment. Call ahead to make sure the teachers will be available to introduce themselves to your child.
Designate a Place To Do Homework
Older children should have the option of studying in their room or a quiet area of the house. Younger children usually need an area set aside in the family room or kitchen to facilitate adult supervision and encouragement.
Select a Spot to Keep Backpacks and Lunch Boxes
Designate a spot for your children to place their school belongings, as well as a place to put important notices and information sent home for you from school. Explain that emptying their backpack each evening is part of their responsibility, even for young children.
Arrange Play Dates
Try to arrange get-togethers with some of your child’s classmates before school starts and during the first weeks of schools to help your child re-establish positive social relationships with peers.
The First Week
Clear your own schedule. Postpone business trips, volunteer meetings, and extra projects. You want to be free to help your child get used to the school routine and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children experience at the start of a new school year.
Make lunches the night before school. Older children should help or make their own. Give them the option to buy lunch in school if they prefer and finances permit.
Set Alarm Clocks
Have school-age children set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning. Praise them for prompt response to morning schedules and bus pickups. Make sure your child has plenty of time to get up, eat breakfast, and get to school. For very young children taking the bus, pin an index card with pertinent information, including their teacher’s name and bus number, as well as your daytime contact information, to their shirt or backpack.
After School
Review with your child what to do if he gets home after school and you are not there. Be very specific, particularly with young children. Put a note card in their backpack with the name(s) and number(s) of a neighbor who is home during the day as well as a number where you can be reached. Choose a neighbor that your child knows well.
Review Your Child’s Schoolbooks
Talk about what your child will be learning during the year. Share your enthusiasm for the subjects and your confidence in your child’s ability to master the content. Reinforce the natural progression of the learning process that occurs over the school year. Learning skills take time and repetition. Encourage your child to be patient, attentive, and positive.
Get to Know Your Child’s Teacher
Let your child’s teacher know that you are interested in getting regular feedback on how and what he is doing in school. Be sure to attend back-to-school night and introduce yourself. Find out how the teacher likes to communicate with parents (through notes, e-mail, or phone calls). Convey a sincere desire to be a partner with your child’s teacher to enhance his learning experience.
Volunteer In the Classroom
If possible, plan to volunteer in the classroom at least periodically throughout the year. Doing so helps your child understand that school and family life are linked and that you care about the learning experience. Being in the classroom is also a good way to develop a relationship with your child’s teacher and classmates, and to get firsthand exposure to the classroom environment and routine. Most teachers welcome occasional parent help, even if you cannot volunteer regularly.
Extracurricular Activities
Go for quality, not quantity—your child will benefit most from one or two activities that are fun, reinforce social development, and teach new skills. Too much scheduled time can be stressful, especially for young children, and may make it harder to concentrate on schoolwork. When evaluating extracurricular activities, consider your family’s schedule and your child’s energy level.
Select activities where you have someone with whom you can carpool. Even if you are available to drive most days, you will need backup sometimes. Choosing activities that occur on-site after school will also minimize driving.
Overcoming Anxiety
Children absorb their parent’s anxiety, so model optimism and confidence for your child. Let him know that it is natural to be a little nervous anytime you start something new but that he will be just fine once he becomes familiar with classmates, his teacher, and school routine.
Do Not Overreact
If the first few days are a little rough, try not to over react. Young children may experience separation anxiety or shyness initially but teachers are trained to help them adjust. If you drop them off, try not to linger. Reassure them that you love them, you will think of them during the day, and you will be back.
