How to Get a Good Start to the School Year

The school bells are ringing and teachers are unpacking their rooms, getting ready for the new school year.  So what can parents do in this last week to help get their children ready for school?  Well, first, there is still one week left of summer.  Don’t pack away all the fun yet and cut the summer short.  Enjoy the last few days: go to the pool, plan a picnic, roast some marshmallows, go to the playground,  take one last trip to the beach.  Children have ten months to enjoy school; there is no use in cutting the precious summer short.  But parents can start to ease children back into their school routines while incorporating the fun of summer.  

Parents, here are some ideas to ease your children (and yourself) back into the school year:

1. Consider getting your children up 15 minutes earlier each day until they are back on their morning schedule.  Plan to do something each morning that requires your children to get up, get dressed, get breakfast, and get out of the house.  
2. Conduct a trial run of packed lunches by packing a picnic and going somewhere fun to eat.  There are many state parks right around Catonsville that are good picnicking sites.  Elementary school students may enjoy going to their school playground to preview the equipment.  Parents, consider packing your child's lunch in the morning of the picnic and then eating the picnic at the child’s lunch time.  This will allow you to preview how food holds up throughout the day and make adjustments if the drinks are hot or the sandwiches are mushy.
3. Buy school supplies, backpacks, and lunch boxes before the first day of school.  Help your children get organized by packing the pencil boxes and labeling everything before the first day.   When shopping, make it fun by having a scavenger hunt or cut up the list and make each child responsible for finding certain items.  Let your children choose their lunch boxes and backpacks, as appropriate.  Those with financial need should consider contacting the school counselor before school starts so that arrangements can be made for the student to have supplies on the first day of school.
4. Dust off the cobwebs in your child’s brain by having them read, do flashcards, or engage in other activities. Start to cut back on television and video game time.  Remember, it’s still summer so it’s okay to have some fun while still waking up your child's brain.  For example, when roasting marshmallows, have young children count the marshmallows.  Older children can figure out how many complete s’mores can be made with the ingredients available. When reading, consider books about the first day of school for younger children.  For older children, make sure to check the school website to ensure sure they have completed their summer reading before the first day of school.
5. Go to the back-to-school orientation held at your child’s school.  Go out for snowballs or ice cream afterwards to make it a special event.  Attending the orientation will help your children feel comfortable on the first day by allowing them to preview their classroom and meet their teacher(s).
6. Take a walk to the bus stop or to the school to map out the route and travel time so that your child won’t feel rushed on the first day.  

There are just a few suggestions to ease back into the school year.  The first day of school can be a stressful event for the entire family.  Parents are encouraged to read all the mailed materials before the first day to make sure the child has all the required paperwork.  It is helpful to pack backpacks and set out clothes the night before to ease the time crunch in the morning.  The night before school starts, put your children to bed early so they get enough sleep.  On the first day of school, make sure to build in extra time in the morning so the children have time to get up, get breakfast, and get to school with time to spare.  During that first week it will likely take more time to get everyone up, ready, and out the door.  To ease your stress, and the stress of your children, build in an extra half hour in the morning routine.  

When your children get home, have a clean space for them to do their homework. Although your children might not have a lot of homework the first week, it’s a good idea to get into a routine of checking your child’s notebooks every day during the first few weeks to help teach your children organizational skills.  As homework builds, they will be used to the routine. 

Most importantly, make it fun!