BACK-2-SCHOOL TIME
6 Tips To Get Them Back-To-School Ready
By Aquarius Cain, CEO Accelerated Learning Educational Services
You made it through the summer! Now it's time to get the kids ready to go back-to-school. Shhh! I won't tell the kids that you're more excited about it than they are. So you survived and now it's time for shopping, registration, open houses, and getting the kids back to their regularly scheduled program. .Many
kids have settled into a summer routine and it's your job to whip them back into
shape and have them ready to go back to school.
Here are some tips to help you
get the kids ready. We will walk you through it, so your life won't be hectic for the next few weeks.
1. Schedule Vaccinations and Physicals NOW
Everyone will be scheduling doctor appointments and
chances are your child's physician is booked solid for the next 2-3 weeks. Don't
get discouraged! Go ahead and schedule the closest appointment they have and ask
them to put you on the waiting list if there are any cancellations. If your
child is already up-to-date on their shots, all you have to do is request a copy
and have them to either fax it to the school, mail it to your home, or hold it
for pick up. There is no need to make an appointment for copies.
Remember, you need a copy of their up-to-date
vaccinations to get them enrolled or registered in school unless you have a
waiver.
2. Begin Putting Them on a Regular Schedule
Chances are the
kids have been going to bed late, sleeping late, and taking a few naps
throughout the day.
- Begin to gradually move their bedtime up by 30 minutes to an hour every few days to get them used to going to bed around their "school bedtime."
- Do the same thing to get them up in the mornings.
- Make sure they eat a balanced breakfast every morning to get used to eating breakfast again.
3. Get the Kids Excited
Get
the kids excited about going back to school with a countdown and setting back to
school milestones. It is important to set the tone so that kids don't dread
going back to school.
- Start counting down the days to go back to school: Create a calendar that allows the kids to change the number of days left each day.
- Do something special to celebrate the major milestones before school begins, such as: go out for ice cream 5 days before school begins, family game night 3 days before, and a special family dinner the first day of school.
4. Do Extra Reading & Math Practice
Start doing a review with the kids (if you haven't been doing this during the summer) to get their brains ready to go back to school as well. Remember, children lose 2-3 months of reading and math knowledge while out on summer break, called the "summer brain drain."
For Math, Work On:
- Counting and number skills
- Adding and subtracting, multiplication, and division skills
- Fractions
- Basic Algebra Skills
- Number Operations - working with negative and positive numbers
For Reading, Work On:
- Phonics & Pronunciation
- Comprehension
- Reading 10-30 minutes daily
5. Register the Kids Early
Trying to register the kids on the first day of school is chaotic! DON'T DO IT! It becomes very frustrating because there is a long waiting time.Understand that there is a process to registering and finding classes that are not FULL for your child to enroll in. Remember, the early bird gets the worm...the later you wait to register, the likely your child is to get the "runt" of the classes. You know, the classes no one wanted but was enrolled in because all of the "good" classes were full.
Keep in mind also, that kids who do not have a schedule will likely sit in the media center, auditorium, or cafeteria the majority of the day, missing out on pertinent 1st day of school information. Do your kid a favor, enroll/register them early.
6. Attend the School's Open House
It's always a good idea to meet your child's teachers before school starts. It gives you and your child an opportunity to get a feel for the teacher and to establish a relationship. Teachers appreciate parents who take the time out to attend open house and conferences. Generally, teachers are prepared to give out their syllabus and course materials list. They will also let you know what their expectations are from the students. This is good to know ahead of time.Not to mention, attending open house helps your child to familiarize him/herself with where their classes are and cuts down on them getting lost in the hallways (how embarassing that can be).
