It’s that time of year again for much of the country. School is almost back in session. For those in the warmer climate who have already begun, well, you can still read this and follow along as well, just in case you missed something.
Parents everywhere are scrambling to ensure things are set for the kids for school. Some parents are stressed, while some are ready to have a quiet home during the day. Whichever you are, the next few days are a stressful scramble. The best thing you can do to start organizing your life is to head right to your child’s school website.
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Classroom
Once you find the website, you can easily find the first day of school, the bus route, and the supply list for each class. Follow that list, but always get extra pencils, pens, erasers, and paper. Something magical happens to pens and pencils within the first month of school, and they come up broken or missing. Do yourself a favor and buy extra while they’re on sale.
Teachers are always letting parents know about equipment shortages in the classroom. If you have extra funds, buy some extra universal supplies, like tissue, pens, pencils, crayons, gluesticks etc., and send them in with your child to give to their teacher. Some students can’t afford all the essentials while some are just disorganized and need a little help. Whatever the case, it’s helpful to the classroom as a whole to have supplies available to keep the wheels turning.
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Sports/Extracurricular Activities
Hopefully, your child has a hobby that their school facilitates, like band, theatre, art, or sports. Take this time to ensure their equipment is still functional and, most importantly, still fit. Test all their cleats and gloves for proper fit and function. Check their instrument and get them serviced or tuned as necessary. Purchase, or source, any additional uniform or equipment items ahead of time so your student doesn’t need to miss time during instruction or practice. The more ready they are, the better they will receive the information being thrust upon them, and ultimately, the more they will get out of their activity of choice. Let them flourish!
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Home
This may be the most important section. Everything starts in the home. A comfortable, clean home helps reduce stress and clears the way for learning.
Have your child clean and organize their room. This simple thing cannot be understated. A clean, uncluttered room gives them confidence and security. Cleanliness and flow help simplify their world and allow their minds to focus on more important intellectual endeavors. It reduces stress!
Get them back on their school routine. The summer really destroys routine and gives them a break from structure but children thrive on structure and predictability. That being said, get them back on their regular bed time several days ahead so waking up at the proper time becomes more natural. Getting up at 6am all of a sudden when you have been going to bed at midnight and waking up at 11am is a really shocking transition. Help them ease into it with proper bed times and earlier wake ups.
Talk to your children ahead of time about the upcoming school year. Ask them about their classmates, if they know their new teacher at all, ask about their worries and excitements and let them put their thoughts on the table. Guide them with stories of things they have overcome in the past. How they made new friends and survived strict teachers. How they learned sheet music or a new playbook. Remind them of their new achievements and help them game plan for new challenges ahead. Having a plan reduces stress and increases the probability of success.
Take a moment to review the curriculum. If you see subjects you don’t remember, jot them down. Spend a few minutes per day reviewing, especially if it’s a difficult subject for your child. This way, you will be ready if and when they have questions with homework. It will give them confidence knowing you have their back if they struggle. They have a safe place to ask questions and a parent who will patiently walk them through a lesson 100 different ways if need be.
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You’re ready. You’re packed up. Your child has their 1st day of school outfit picked out, their room cleaned, they showered and brushed their hair. Your family is ready. You did it once again. This year, you prepared. Your child prepared. It’s going to be a smashing success. Take a moment to breathe. Take a moment to reset for yourself. Clean your own room if needed. Another journey is about to begin!
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
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Photo credit: Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash
