@Home: Preparing For Back To School!
By DANIELLE BOOTHE
The end of the holidays brings the start of a whole new school semester, with more subjects, teachers, and schedules. A key to successfully finishing the year is planning and starting the year organised.
To prevent the unnecessary stress and pressure of last-minute preparations, it’s best to put all things in place early. Here are six great tips to prepare for back to school:
1. Nurture Independence
Your child will have so many things to do on their own once they start their new school semester, such as writing their assignments, getting to classes on time, getting their lunch, and learning to make wise decisions at school, so teaching them reasonable independence is crucial.
Teachers will not hold their hand through every task like you would as their parent, so to prevent a “culture shock”, as it were, start to teach them a sense of independence at home. You can do this easily by giving them chores to complete on their own, as well as various assignments and other self-dependent responsibilities.
2. Stack up on school supplies
Before you go to the book store, make a list of all the supplies your little scholar will need. Things like shoes, a bag and lunch kit, stationery and other items on the school’s book list are a few of the many back-to-school items you’ll have to get. Here’s a tip: Start shopping early. Early shopping is convenient because you can avoid all the rush while capitalising on any sales that bookstores may have.
3. Re-establish school routines
The few days before your child returns to school are the best chances to get them back into their daily sleeping, eating and waking up routine. Imitate the regular school routine, so that both you and your little ones can get back into the groove for school. Instead of staying up to watch re-runs of Spongebob on TV or listening to Cocomelon on repeat, encourage your child to go to bed early in the nights. Then let them practice waking up early as if they would be going to school. Also, breakfast, lunch and dinner times should be close to the times during school.
Remember, practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent. So get them in the rhythm early.
4. Talk to your tykes
It’s important to speak with your children about what they are interested in so that you can help them make and achieve goals at school. Kindly, discuss expectations of them for the school year, as well as ideas of what they should expect from their peers, teachers and curriculum. Be sure to address any issues they may have about workload or bullying at school as well.
5. Set up a monthly school schedule
Having a schedule helps you and your child to get organised and make necessary arrangements or adjustments for the new school semester. Aside from preparing for school, other activities, such as extracurricular activities, time for homework and recreation can be included in this roster, so that your child gets in the habit of following a routine. Also, your child’s school schedule should include when he or she has classes, tests and which subjects are on what day.
For example, if your child has Physical Education on a Tuesday, then you would know ahead of time that their P.E. gears would need to be ready for that day. Having a schedule definitely saves time and confusion for the school semester.
6. Create a workstation
Of course, school is where your child learns a majority of his or her course work, but they also have to do work at home. Be sure to designate a space in your home for working on assignments and studying. This space should be quiet and clear of clutter, allowing your young scholar to work just as hard as he does at school, but maybe a little more comfortably.
