By Barbara Pierce
Back-to-school season can be an exciting time. But it’s also a stressful time for both children and their parents. It’s common for children to be anxious about all the new things they will be facing.
They may worry about their new teacher, how they will manage to perform at the new grade level and relationships with the other kids in their class.
For years, researchers have pointed to one key success factor that overrides nearly all others, such as socioeconomic status, student background or the kind of school a student attends: That one key success factor is parental involvement.
Parents play an essential role in helping your child prepare for school and ease their back-to-school fears.
Children with involved parents tend to get better test scores and higher grades and are more likely to graduate.
The involvement of parents, even in small ways, can boost a child’s grades, attendance and overall attitude towards learning. Students whose parents stay involved in school have better attendance and behavior, get better grades, demonstrate better social skills and adapt better to school.
One issue is that kids must deal with is learning loss over the summer; they don’t feel ready to face a new grade and new expectations.
“To keep students engaged and prevent summer learning loss, teachers will typically recommend parents maintain a summer routine, incorporating learning into everyday activities,” said Melissa Roys, executive director at Rome Alliance for Education, Rome. The Rome Alliance for Education spearheads the Connected Community Schools initiative in Rome. Connected Community Schools is a collaborative effort by community organizations to support students and families.
“Encourage reading challenges and foster independent projects,” Roys said.
Read with your child; encourage him to read on his own if he can. Teachers also suggest balancing structured activities with free time, exploring nature and community resources, and seeking out educational opportunities. Learning can be both fun and inexpensive, like nature trails, hiking, arts and crafts, she added.
Carve out some time through these last weeks of summer to get your child playing learning games, reading or doing a learning-related activity. In addition to Connected Community Schools, there are many other websites that offer games to help children maintain their math and reading knowledge throughout the summer. Setting aside time for your child to play these learning games may be a helpful tool to begin preparing for homework time.
“Our Connected Schools offer a tremendous amount of learning-fun opportunities! From Safety Bike Rodeos in Connected Dolgeville to STEM Crafts in Connected Rome. Look on Facebook for opportunities, all free!” Roys said.
Adjusting to earlier bedtimes and structured schedules when school begins can be difficult. To prepare a child for back-to-school, parents should focus on re-establishing routines, especially for sleep and mealtimes.
“Keeping a regular routine, although bedtime may be a bit later, keeping it within reason, so that when school starts up again, the transition is less of an adjustment,” Roys explained.
Gradually shift bedtime and wake-up times to match the school schedule and ensure consistent mealtimes.
A couple of weeks before school starts begin transitioning your child to the back-to-school schedule. Putting your child to bed earlier and waking them up earlier will help to prepare for the early mornings. Many children will fight the idea of changing their bedtime to an earlier time, using incentives like allowing your child to watch his favorite half-hour TV program or reading her favorite book after getting ready for bedtime can help ease the change. Having a bedtime routine will also help with the transition to an earlier bedtime; baths, choosing their clothes for the next day and back rubs may all be helpful to calm your child before bed.
“The common rules in school should also apply at home, such as quiet time, courtesy to others, taking turns etc.,” Roys said. “Asking kids what the rules are for school and developing rules for home is not only educational for both parent and child but also promotes ‘buy-in’ on their part.”
Many children are worried and anxious about returning to school. A new teacher, more difficult work, new kids to get to know, all can be stressful. Encourage your kids to talk about their worries; find out what concerns them. Talk to your children to try and target specific reasons for their concerns. Don’t discount their concerns; show empathy and help them figure out a way to meet the challenges. Connecting with your child may be the most important thing you can do.
Every child experiences back to school differently. Showing our children we understand and we are here to help them through the transition back to school can be the best way to get the new school year started on the right foot.