In most families when kids go back to school there's a shift in activities. Kids are at practice, games, school, doing homework etc....And the summer routine is reluctantly put aside until next year. The summer way of life is coming to an end but most children don't view it that way.
It's important to get back into the school routine. These are practical things but we often forget them because we're still winding down from the summer honeymoon too. It's better if you get back into the practice of things and help those in school by setting clear expectations.
In my household growing up it was clear that summer life and the school year was different. We were clear on the expectation so after a while we knew the routine without too much prompting and easily transition into the new schedule.
If the beginning of this routine feels like rocky roads here are a few practical things to do
Be clear of the time schedule- Curfew for games, parties, hanging out at a buddies house, and other events. Academic activities usually come with a time frame because teachers and support staff have to be home too. Meetings for Honor Society, The Debate Team, Youth Leadership, etc.... will more than likely have a set time and if it runs over you know that your child isn't goofing off.
Set time aside for family. You want to keep in touch with the kids. This is not only good for bonding but it lets you know what's going on with them at school. You can off-set potential problems but also encourage students to grow by encouraging involvement in special activities and opportunities.
Encourage a spirit of getting help for subjects that students might find difficult. We use to have study sessions and our parents would bring food. But the requirement was that we had to work and not just socialize. This created a spirit of excitement toward tutoring and studying.
I'm big on mixing intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. In other words when you see your student getting it right reward them with something special while driving home the point that character building is the biggest payoff in the long run (at least it should it be).
The biggest thing is setting family expectations and learning to communicate well throughout the week. When you know what's expected it makes life so much easier. I'm big on addressing tough issues early on because you weather through difficulty better than you do if you they linger. Besides any loving parent whose had several children in school will tell you that up front honest talk and stability is really important. This should pay off in years to come in your relationship.
That’s your back to school talk for the day- Thoughts anyone? Share here what you do to get back in the rhythm of the new school year and the change of seasons.
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