How can a parent keep a kid ready for school during the summer? My one piece of advice would probably be to have your child do a little bit of reading most days. Make it part of your daily routine. When my kids were school age (they are now 25 and 27), they knew that every morning they would spend a little time reading before we would begin our other activities (pool, playtime, movies, video games). Let your child choose what he/she wants to read - sports section of the paper, directions about how to play their new game, online article about their favorite singer/band, part of a chapter book. THEN, talk with your children about what they read and ask questions: "Why do you think the Thunder chose that player?" "Why do you think this singer is so popular?" "Who is your favorite character in this book and why?" Don't let your kids get away with one word answers. My experience has been that when children articulate what they mean, it often clarifies their thinking for themselves.
What type of activities are helpful for getting your child ready to go back to school? Most obvious is to start regulating bedtimes and wake up times about a week or more before school starts. Here in Deer Creek, the Intermediate School starts classes at 7:30 a.m., so if a child has been going to bed and getting up whenever he/she feels like it, that 6 a.m. wake-up time is going to be a shock. Start talking about the kinds of summer things (Frontier City, White Water, sleepovers) you want to make sure you fit in before school starts, and then set up a schedule.
How can a parent get a kid excited about going back to school? Children pick up so many of their attitudes by watching their parents. If parents are moaning about the "end of summer," kids will jump right in and express that same feeling. I am a big believer in talking about hopes and dreams and talking about how to achieve those things. Whatever grade your child is going in - talk to him/her about what he/she would like to achieve this year. That would include academic, athletic, and social goals. Come up with a plan about how you and your child can approach those goals, and make them a reality. Talk to a neighbor or a friend who had a good experience in that grade (at that particular school), and ask them about the things they liked the most.
What are most children fearful of when returning to school? We are all afraid of the unknown. I have observed that the children who slip most easily into a new grade are those kids who have had older brothers and sisters and have already heard about some of the things that happen in that grade. As a parent, make sure you go to that "Meet the Teacher" day. If you haven't already picked up the school supplies - get that list. Make sure that when your child shows up on that first day, there aren't too many surprises. Join the Parent/Teacher organization. By being active in the school, you will have an inside track about what is going on, and you should be able to ask other parents questions. If you have a child who is experiencing great anxiety, make sure you let the teacher know as soon as possible (note, email) . At the beginning of the year, things are very hectic in the classroom, so if after a few days, your child is still anxious or fearful, set up a time to talk with the teacher. Encourage your child to ask questions if he/she is unsure of what he/she is supposed to be doing.
What do I look forward to when going back to school? I look forward to meeting the new students. At the end of every school year, when my students leave my classroom, I am quite sure I will never love another group of kids as I have loved them. Then when August rolls around, I meet a whole new group of kids and in a few days, I am learning names and personalities, and I start to think, "I like these kids," and a whole new journey begins!
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