As August draws to a close and the new school year begins, many parents look to provide a smooth transition for their children. Here, we will provide three things that you can do to help make this upcoming school year a successful one for your child/children.
1. Get back into a Routine
One of the most important things you can do to help your child prepare for returning to school is to get back into a school year routine. This often means going to bed and waking up earlier, getting sufficient sleep, and even dedicating time in the mornings and early afternoons doing something productive. Beginning this routine on Day 1 of the new school year can be jarring, so we recommend gently transitioning to this routine at least 1 week before the first day of school, if not earlier.
This routine should approximate the school schedule as much as possible so that the first few weeks aren’t met by exhaustion, lack of focus, or a bad attitude.
2. Prepare a Quiet Study/Homework Location
An often overlooked piece of a child’s education is having a tidy, quiet, well-supplied location to complete homework and study for tests. Taking the time in the Summer to plan for this location and make sure it is ready for the school year will pay dividends once work starts coming back from school. This location should be free of distractions, easily supervised, and have everything that a student needs to complete their work (pens, pencils, papers, staples, etc.). This is especially important for students with ADD or difficulty focusing.
If no such location is possible in your home, going to a local library or instituting a “quiet time” at home can be good alternatives. The goal should be to create an environment fostering focus, concentration, and learning.
3. Design a Recipe of Healthy Snacks
If a quiet study location can be neglected, the topic of healthy snacks and schooling is often downright overlooked. Doing homework and studying for tests can take significant mental energy, so providing your children with food and water is extremely important. In addition to this, we recommend avoiding foods high in sugars, or carbohydrates in general. We want to avoid a “carb-crash”, as this can make all progress come to a screeching halt. Vegetables are always a good choice, but meats, cheeses, nuts (if no nut allergy is present), and fresh fruit are all good options. Serving these foods in an easy-to-access manner (i.e. finger food) also prevents eating from getting in the way of the schoolwork.
It is worth taking the time in advance to prepare a “study menu” so that last-minute grocery runs can be avoided in the Fall.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but these are a few things that you can do to get ready for the new school year and help your child succeed.
If you have more questions about preparing for the upcoming school year or wish to get the help of a tutor, feel free to contact an Academic Director at +1 (877) 545-7737.
