For most school age kids in our area, the new school year will begin in less than three weeks. These tips will help make the transition a little smoother.
1. Get together with a few school friends. I always think that my kids and I will get to spend more time with our friends during the summer but rather the opposite seems to be true. Between summer vacations and trips, we actually see less of our school friends. Try to re-connect before the first day of school.
2. Tame anxiety. If your child is just starting school or you've moved to a new area, (s)he may be feeling a little nervous. Open the door to conversation so you can help ease the worries before the Big Day with one of these great books:
- For your child just starting school:
- "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn
- "I Am Too Absolutely Small for School" by Lauren Child
- "Monsters Love School" by Mike Austin
- For your soon-to-be first grader:
- "The Night Before First Grade" by Natasha Wing
- "First Grade Stinks!" by Mary Ann Rodman
- For your soon-to-be second grader:
- "Get Ready for Second Grade" by Amber Brown
- "The Best Teacher in Second Grade" by Katharine Kenah
- If you've moved to a new school:
- "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg
- If you've got a middle schooler, these will get you BOTH ready:
- "The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School" by Robin Epstein and Ben H. Winters, part of the best-selling Worst-Case Scenario series, offers funny and useful tips for tricky situations.
- "A Smart Girl's Guide to Starting Middle School" by Julie Williams — the whole Smart Girl series is pretty great, in my opinion — uses tips and fun quizzes to cover a variety of topics.
- As a parent, consider reading "Queen Bees and Wannabees" and "Masterminds and Wingmen" by Rosalind Wiseman. Both discuss the dynamics of friendship groups.
3. Get back on a schedule. Staying up late, watching TV before breakfast, not reading every day ... we relax a lot of our rules during the summer months. If you do too, now is the time to start easing back in. Re-establish a bedtime routine and get back into the habit of daily reading and writing.
4. Take your child shopping for school supplies. Print the list off your school's website and let your child choose some of the items and a snazzy new backpack and lunchbox to build excitement. Pick up a few extra items to donate to help students throughout our area.
5. If you haven’t already done so, create a study space in your home. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a quiet space where she can sit without distractions and concentrate on homework.
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