Now that the summer is coming to an end, for those parents with children it is time to start thinking about the next school year! School supplies, uniforms, teachers, homework, tests, clubs, sports, birthday parties, play-dates, & so much more! Yikes, how do parents juggle it all? This article is designed to give you a few tips to ease the Back- to- School blues.First, please know that you as parents deserve an applause for being the great parents you are! Your children will benefit greatly from your time, patience and diligence with them. During the school year you will need all of those traits. It is not just back to school time for kids, it is that time for parents too! After all, parents are the ones helping with the homework, driving the carpools, meeting with the teachers, hosting the play-dates and so much more!Begin the back-to-school preparation by looking in the newspaper or online for the sales on school supplies. Many deals are out there and are necessary with the amount of supplies required in most schools today. Bring those supplies the first day of school, unless otherwise told. There will be many things to keep track of during the first week of school, so it is good to get these supplies dropped off & out of the way.
After you meet your child’s teacher, take note of his/her email address. This is a great way to communicate with teachers. Many times at open house or school functions, there isn’t time to talk personally with the teacher. Email is a great way to get your questions answered quickly. If you have concerns or something pressing at the beginning of the year, set up a conference.
The best way to know what is going on in your child’s classroom is to volunteer. There are many ways to volunteer at schools today. If you don’t feel comfortable being in the classroom, many times the front office or library will have volunteer opportunities. This will still give you a way to keep up to date with what is happening at school. If you work and don’t have the time to go into the classroom, ask your child’s teacher if there are things you can do with your child at home to still help with classroom needs. (Ex. Cutting things out, etc.) This is something you can do with your child and they feel pride that you have contributed to their classroom.
Get a routine down sooner than later. The faster you get an after school routine down, the better. Children thrive when there is structure. If they have set times for homework and playtime, it will keep the household less chaotic. Having an afterschool checklist is a great way to have your child see what to do before they can play. For example, when they get home, there is time for a snack, then homework, chores & then they know the remainder of the night is theirs before bed. Keep the checklist somewhere where your child can access it easily. This strategy tends to cut down on argument and leads to a happier household!
As the new school year approaches, keep these few points in mind. The school year can be a crazy time, but the hope is that these few tips will help you out a little.
For more information or any questions you have, please visit my website. [http://www.mrsbanswers.com]. It is an interactive and informative website where elementary school parents can ask questions to an experienced teacher. Have a wonderful school year!
