Back to School Tips for Parents

During the summer months, students adhere to active social schedules, sleep in like there's no tomorrow, and frolic about in unabashed freedom. Besides preparing for the battle in the classroom with the right tools, August is a good time to start getting your child accustomed to a school style schedule to make for an easier transition from the idling, loafing, and playing of summer to the rigors of paying attention in math class and getting homework done.

First of all, starting to have family sit down dinners at a scheduled time is a good way to prepare for a schedule during the school year of having time to discuss the events of the day. Also, at most schools, lunch is rarely served at noon so it would be a good idea to get your kids used to eating lunch a little earlier as well.

In August it would be a good idea to start scheduling and enforcing something similar to a homework and curfew schedule.

Talk to your kids about this and explain why you're doing it and the benefit for them; but be firm and insist that these are rules and not just advice. Make it clear to your child that the rules will include television time, when the homework needs to be finished, curfews for television, internet, and school night curfews for being home on time.

When it comes to school supplies, you need to be as specific as possible to make sure that your child doesn't have inadequate tools as an unnecessary obstacle. You can ask your child's school for a list of classroom supply lists before shopping for school supplies.

With back-to-school sales beginning in mid-July, if you're a late shopper you might have a tough time locating supplies when September's Halloween costumes and Christmas decoration sales kick in. It's best to get the supplies as early as possible and for elementary school students to have their backpacks filled a week or two before school starts. Since some teachers require specific supplies save your receipts in case you need to return some of your items later.

When it comes to school clothes, your kids will be talking about needing the latest fashions as if their lives depend on it. You'll need to indulge them in this so they don't have any extra stress or confidence problems that interfere with learning. However, you also need to look at functionality and budget.

Shop for clothing that is versatile enough to carry over from fall into winter if you're on a limited school wardrobe budget. Put aside an afternoon to make an assessment of your child's clothing needs. It's also time to empty the drawers and donate the old, warn out clothes.

Before going school shopping with your student indicate to them that they'll get to participate in some of the shopping but set some firm boundaries in terms of what will be and will not be allowed. Appease their need to choose by allowing your boy or girl to pick the school supplies and clothes, but within a predetermined budget and with an understanding that you will occasionally veto a choice in case your kid gravitates towards excessively sexy clothing such as extremely short skirts and shorts, low rise pants, bare midriffs, spaghetti straps or halter tops, exposed underwear, or any shirts with excessively negative, offensive, or anti-social messages.

Of course the most important thing of all is to ensure that your child's mental and physical fitness is primed for optimal learning. Studies have shown that students who eat a good breakfast have more alertness and perform better in class. In a local community, it is easy to sign students up for courses in therapeutic nutrition, exercise, and eating disorders. The more prepared and healthy your child is, the less he or she will be held up with questions and concerns that have little meaning for them and they can focus on learning, having fun, and growing socially.

Sources -

Firstgov.gov
kidshealth.org