Every year, students go back to school with a variety of different emotions. Some are excited for the new school year while others dread it. It is a new year and a new start. With less than a week to go, they all have one thing in common: they want to go back to the basics. Luckily there are things parents can do ensure their kids have a successful year.
Here are a few tips on how to prepare your child for the new school year:
- Make a list of supplies. Go through your child’s existing supplies from last year and make a list of what is needed. This way, there won’t be any surprises when you go shopping.
- Stock up on stationary, including notebooks, folders and highlighters. It’s better to have too many than not enough as this will help keep your child organised.
- Sort out uniforms if they’re required at their school. If it’s not compulsory, decide whether or not your child should wear one anyway as it shows respect for school policy and authority figures such as teachers and principal.
- Prepare lunchboxes with healthy snacks as well as cold lunches that can be easily heated up if needed. Finding something for your child to eat can be difficult, so it’s best to have a variety available.
- Create a back-to-school schedule and stick with it. It may seem overwhelming at first, but once you find a routine and stick to it, things become simpler and the year goes by more smoothly.
- Pack all of your child’s belongings the night before school starts so they’re ready to go in the morning. This includes lunchboxes, uniforms or sports equipment if necessary. Try not to do this any earlier than 24 hours beforehand as that will only serve as unnecessary stress during such an important time of the year.
As for getting to know your new child’s teacher:
- As soon as school starts, organise a meeting with them. This way they can get acquainted and figure out the best way to communicate during the upcoming months of class time. This meeting will help set up the flavour of your relationship with the teacher so be prepared.
- Help your child in getting organized by setting up a homework area and providing them with the tools they need to succeed
- Talk to your child about their school day and ask them questions about what they experienced.
- Be proactive by keeping your child’s teacher up-to-date on your child’s progress at home. This will help them understand any special conditions that might need additional attention, which could turn into teaching opportunities for both of you. Make sure you attend parent-teacher conferences and other school events so you can stay updated on their progress
- Encourage your child to get involved in extracurricular activities, like sports or clubs, that interest them
- Be a positive role model for your child and show them that you value education
As a parent, being aware of these simple tips can make all the difference in helping your child succeed this year!
