*Originally posted 08/31/15
LaPorcha Carter, the Assistant Director for the Center of Social Measurement and Evaluation, discusses back to school tips.
As we know summer is coming to an end and a new school year is beginning. This can be a hard time for kids, especially because it can be difficult to swing back into a routine. The National Association of School Psychologists suggests that getting a new school year off to a good start can influence a child’s attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. Before school starts it is important to make sure that your child is in good mental and physical health. Schedule doctor and dental appointments as early as possible. It is also important to re-establish bedtime and mealtime routines (especially breakfast) the week before school starts. Another important tip is to turn the TV off. Encourage your child to play quiet games, do puzzles, or read as early morning activities instead of watching TV. This will help ease your child into the learning process and school routine. The final tip I want to mention is before school starts designate and clear a place to do homework. A clean and consistent area will be conducive to doing homework and studying.
The NASP recommends that parents clear their own schedule of any unnecessary outside activities or projects during the first week of school. This way parents are free to help their child acclimate to the new school year and new routine and overcome any confusion and anxiety that the child may have. It is also recommended that lunches are prepared the night before school to minimize the hustle and bustle of school mornings. Older children can help or make their own lunches to promote responsibility. It is also helpful to set alarm clocks and encourage kids to set their own alarms to wake up in the morning. Once your family gets the morning started it is encouraged to leave plenty of extra time. You want to ensure that your child has plenty of time to get up, eat breakfast, and get to school. Another recommendation is to review with your child what he or she is to do if they get home after school and you or another adult is not at home. Have a solid plan in place. During the first week it is helpful to review your child’s schoolbooks and express your interest in what they will be learning during the school year. Lastly, during the first week of school it is recommended for parents to send a brief note to their child’s teacher. Let the teacher know that you are interested in getting regular feedback on how and what your child is doing in school.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently released a report on back to school tips to help our students remain healthy and safe throughout the entire school year. The largest safety risks are posed while children are traveling to and from school. For example if your child walks to school find another child in the neighborhood with whom your student can walk. In addition to safe walking habits, the report discusses bus safety. Make sure that your child boards and exits the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building. Children should also wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching it from the curb. Carpooling is also a popular way to get children to and from school. All children under the age of 13 should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you are driving more children that can fit in the backseat, move the front passenger seat as far back as possible. If your child bikes to school be sure that they always wear a helmet, no matter how long or short the ride, ride on the right in the same direction as traffic, respect traffic lights and stop signs, and wear bright colored clothing to increase visibility. I want to conclude the safety tips by mentioning a little about backpack safety. Extremely heavy backpacks can have detrimental effects on your child’s physical health. Parents can prevent these negative effects by packing their child’s backpack lightly. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 – 20% of your child’s body weight. Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back to relieve some of the pressure off of the child. It also may be helpful to choose a rolling backpack.
One of the reports that I referenced today is from the American Academy of Pediatrics and is entitled “Back to School Tips” Their website is www.aap.org. The other report entitled “Back to School Transitions: Tips for Parents” is from the National Association of School Psychologists and can be found at www.nasponline.org. Both sites have a more exhaustive lists of back to school tips. The reports cover everything from healthy meals to bullying prevention to developing good homework and study habits.