Back to school tips for parents

10 Helpful Back-to-school Tips for Parents

Can you believe it is almost time to start school again? Here is a list of tips to help to be more prepared on the first day this year.

Going back to school after the long summer is always a time of excitement. While your children may be overly excited or even a little bit worried about new teachers, new subjects and meeting their friends, the days before starting school again are always busy and stressful. Instead of rolling in to school with no plan, we have compiled ten tips that will help to keep organized, create routines and support children to be their best at school.

Your children will be better prepared for school when they can visually see when school will start again. A good idea is to hang a calendar in their room and let them mark off each day with a colorful pen until the new school year starts.

Children will need some time to get back to the sleeping pattern that they had before the summer holidays started. In order to make it easier for the kids to be awake early in the morning, parents can introduce the school sleep routine two weeks before school starts.

Pick a date to go school shopping with your children. This date should be set and organized some time in advance to have a relaxed shopping experience. Choosing their own school supplies, clothes, a backpack or lunchboxes will engage children to take part in the activity and may increase their excitement about going back to school and using all the new things.

Copyright: FamVeld

4. Make the unknown environment more familiar

If your children are worried about the fact that they will start school in a new environment such as having a new classroom or being taught by a new teacher ask the school if you can go on a tour. Let your child see the new classroom and ask if it is possible to meet the new teachers. Going on a tour will help the kids to become more familiar with the new place. It is also a good idea to have a conversation with them about all the positive aspects at school such as their favorite subject and the activities they love at school.

Studies show that pupils who have breakfast function better at school and have more energy. In advance, ask your children about healthy food that they like to take to school. Maybe your child likes particular fruits or vegetables which you can pack as well as a healthy sandwich.  You can also have a look at the school’s cafeteria and see if it offers healthy snack options.

If your child walks or takes the bus to school and there are other children in the neighborhood who go to the same school talk to the parents and ask them if the kids can walk or take the bus together. This way the kids will have more fun on their way to school and may share their worries and help each other to feel more comfortable going back to school.

Copyright: Pressmaster

Children who understand the topics at school properly have more fun at school. Usually, good quality homework is key to understand topics and achieve good grades. Review the environment where your child does his or her homework: Is it quiet enough? Is there enough space? Besides the environment, it is also important to think about activities and Internet or TV usage. Do your children have enough time to do their homework and are they not distracted?

Older children will already have set themselves expectations they want to fulfill at school. Therefore, it is helpful to ask them what they expect about returning to school. It can help to read a story about children who go to school in order to start the conversation and to make it easier for kids to talk about their feelings. It is also important to ask kids if they have any questions or are unsure about anything. Let them know that other kids will be nervous as well and that teachers will help them to feel more comfortable.

When getting lunch or a snack ready for school include a little note in the lunchbox to show your kids that you care and that you think about them during the day even if they are away.

Copyright: Jes2u.photo

A parent should be at home to help the kids to get ready for school in the morning and who supervise them when they return. If this is not possible talk to your children that it is important to follow rules and listen to the adult supervising them.

Share your own stories, tips and back-to-school experiences with us.

Back-to-School Tips - HealthyChildren.org

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Ages & Stages

Ages & Stages

Before it's time to head back to school, follow these tips to help ensure your kids have a safe, happy and productive year.

Make the first day easier

• Remember that you don't need to wait until the first day of class to ask for help. Schools are open to address any concerns a parent or child might have, including the specific needs of a child, over the summer. The best time to get help might be one to two weeks before school opens.

• Many children get nervous about new situations, including changing to a new school, classroom or teacher. This may happen at any age. If your child seems nervous, it can be helpful to rehearse heading into the new situation. Take them to visit the new school or classroom before the first day of school. Remind them that there are probably a lot of students who are uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are nervous and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible. If your child seems nervous, ask them what they are worried about and help them problem-solve ways to master the new situation.

• Point out the positive aspects of starting school to help your kids look forward to the first day of class. Talk about how they will see old friends and meet new ones, for example.
  

• Find another child in the neighborhood you child can walk to school or ride with on the bus.

• If it is a new school for your child, attend any available orientations and take an opportunity to tour the school before the first day. Bring your child to school a few days prior to class to play on the playground and get comfortable in the new environment.

• If you feel it is needed, drive your child (or walk with them) to school and pick them up on the first day. Get there early on the first day to cut down on unnecessary stress.

• Consider starting your child on their school sleep/wake schedule a week or so ahead of time so that time change is not a factor on their first couple of days at school.

Backpack safety

• Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.

• Organize your child's backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10% to 20% of your child's body weight. Go through the pack with your child weekly, and remove unneeded items to keep it light.

• Remind your child to always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

• Adjust the pack so that the bottom sits at your child's waist.

• If your school allows, consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, they may be difficult to roll in snow, and they may not fit in some lockers. And review backpack safety with your child.

Traveling to & from school

Review the basic rules with your student and practice any new routes or modes of transportation:

School bus

• Children should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building.

• Remind your child to wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.

• Make sure your child walks where she can see the bus driver (which means the driver will be able to see them, too).

• Remind your student to look both ways to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing the street, just in case somebody does not stop as required. Encourage your child to actually practice how to cross the street several times before the first day of school.

• If the school bus has lap/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times when in the bus. (If your child's school bus does not have lap/shoulder belts, encourage the school system to buy or lease buses with lap/shoulder belts). See Where We Stand: Safety Restraints on the School Bus for more information. Your child should not move around on the bus.
  

• Check on the school's policy regarding food on the bus. Eating on the bus can present a problem for students with allergy and also lead to infestations of insects and vermin on the vehicles.

• If your child has a chronic condition that could result in an emergency on the bus, make sure you work with the school nurse or other school health personnel to have a bus emergency plan. If possible, do this before the first day of class.
  

Car

• All passengers should wear a seat belt or use an age- and size-appropriate car seat or booster seat.

• Keep your child riding in a car seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when they have reached the top weight or height allowed for their seat, their shoulders are above the top harness slots, or her ears have reached the top of the seat.
  

• Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means that your child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with their legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, not the stomach.
  

• All children younger than 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat (when carpooling, for example), move the front-seat passenger's seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.
  

• Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. Remind your teen to wear their seat belt, limit the number of teen passengers, and do not allow eating, drinking, cell phone conversations (even when using hands-free devices or speakerphone), texting or other mobile device use to prevent driver distraction. Familiarize yourself with your state's graduated driver's license law and consider the use of a parent-teen driver agreement to facilitate the early driving learning process. See here for a sample parent-teen driver agreement.
  

Bike

• Practice the bike route to school before the first day of school to make sure your child can manage it.

• Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.

• Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic and ride in bike lanes if they are present.

• Use appropriate hand signals.

• Respect traffic lights and stop signs.

• Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility. White or light-colored clothing and reflective gear is especially important after dark.

• Know the "rules of the road."

Walking to school

• Children are generally ready to start walking to school at 9 to 11 years of age.

• Make sure your child's walk to school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.

• Identify other children in the neighborhood with whom your child can walk to school. In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider organizing a "walking school bus," in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.

• Be realistic about your child's pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision. If the route home requires crossing busier streets than your child can reasonably do safely, have an adult, older friend or sibling escort them home.

• If your children are young or are walking to a new school, walk with them or have another adult walk with them the first week or until you are sure they know the route and can do it safely. If your child will need to cross a street on the way to school, practice safe street crossing with them before the start of school.

• Bright-colored clothing or a visibility device, like a vest or armband with reflectors, will make your child more visible to drivers.

Eating during the school day

• Studies show that children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better. They do better in school, and have better concentration and more energy. Some schools provide breakfast for children; if yours does not, make sure they eat a breakfast that contains some protein.
  

• Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home and/or have them posted on the school's website. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat.
  

• Many children qualify for free or reduced price food at school, including breakfast. The forms for these services can be completed at the school office. Hunger will affect a child's performance in class.

• Many school districts have plans which allow you to pay for meals through an online account. Your child will get a card to "swipe" at the register. This is a convenient way to handle school meal accounts.

• Look into what is offered inside and outside of the cafeteria, including vending machines, a la carte, school stores, snack carts and fundraisers held during the school day. All foods sold during the school day must meet nutrition standards established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). They should stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, low-fat dairy products, water and 100% fruit juice. Learn about your child's school wellness policy and get involved in school groups to put it into effect. Also, consider nutrition if you child will be bringing food to eat during school.

• Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%. Choose healthier options (such as water and low-fat dairy products) to send in your child's lunch.

Bullying

Bullying or cyberbullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, over the Internet, or through mobile devices like cell phones.

When your child is bullied

• Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.

• Teach your child to be comfortable with when and how to ask a trusted adult for help. Ask them to identify who they can ask for help.

• Recognize the serious nature of bullying and acknowledge your child's feelings about being bullied.

• Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to:

1. Look the bully in the eye.

2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.

3. Walk away.

• Teach your child how to say in a firm voice.

1. "I don't like what you are doing."
   

2. "Please do NOT talk to me like that."

• Encourage your child to make friends with other children.

• Support outside activities that interest your child.

• Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child's safety and well-being when you cannot be there.

• Monitor your child's social media or texting interactions so you can identify problems before they get out of hand.

When your child

• Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK.

• Set firm and consistent limits on your child's aggressive behavior.

• Help your child learn empathy for other children by asking them to consider how the other child feels about they way your child treated them. Ask your child how they would feel if someone bullied them.

• Be a positive role mode. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.

• Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.

• Focus on praising your child when they behave in positive ways such as helping or being kind to other children as opposed to bullying them.

• Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, school social workers or psychologists, and parents of the children your child has bullied.

When your child is a bystander

• Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying. Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.

• Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.

Before & after school child care

• If a family member will care for your child, communicate the need to follow consistent rules set by the parent regarding schedules, discipline and homework.

• Children approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come home to an empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual maturity for their age.

• If alternate adult supervision is not available, parents should make special efforts to supervise their children from a distance. Children should have a set time when they are expected to arrive at home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by telephone.

• If you choose an after-school program for your child, inquire about the training of the staff. There should be a high staff-to-child ratio, trained persons to address health issues and emergencies, and the rooms and the playground should be safe.

Develop a sleep routine

• Getting enough sleep is critical for a child to be successful in school. Children who do not get enough sleep have difficulty concentrating and learning as well as they can.

• Set a consistent bedtime for your child and stick with it every night. Having a bedtime routine that is consistent will help your child settle down and fall asleep. Components of a calming pre-bedtime routine may involve a bath/shower, reading with them, and tucking them in and saying good-night to them.

• Have your child turn off electronic devices well before bedtime.

• Try to have the home as quiet and calm as possible when younger children are trying to fall asleep.

• Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness. The optimal amount of sleep for most younger children is 10-12 hours per night and for adolescents (13-18 year of age) is in the range of 8-10 hours per night. See Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need? for more information.

Build good homework & study habits

• Create an environment that is homework-friendly starting at a young age. Children need a consistent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study.

• Schedule ample time for homework. Build this time into choices about participating in after school activities.

• Establish a household rule that the TV and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time.

• Supervise computer and internet use.

• By high school, it's not uncommon for teachers to ask students to submit homework electronically and perform other tasks on a computer. If your child doesn't have access to a computer or the internet at home, work with teachers and school administration to develop appropriate accommodations.

• Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.

• Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.

• If your child is struggling with a particular subject, speak with their teacher for recommendations on how to help your child at home or at school. If you have concerns about the assignments your child is receiving, talk with their teacher.

• If your child is having difficulty focusing on or completing homework, discuss this with your child's teacher, school counselor or health care provider. For general homework problems that cannot be worked out with the teacher, a tutor may be considered.

• Some children need extra help organizing their homework. Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.

• Some children may need help remembering their assignments. Work with your child and their teacher to develop an appropriate way to keep track of their assignments – such as an assignment notebook.

More information

• When Your Child Has a Medical Emergency at School
  
• Snacks & Sugary Foods in School: AAP Policy Explained
• Create an Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan: AAP Report Explained
• How You Can Help Your Child Avoid & Address Bullying
• Back to School, Back to the Doctor
  
• Learning Disabilities & Differences: What Parents Need to Know
  

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

tips for a positive attitude to study - School. Moscow

Oksana Golerova
psychologist of the City Psychological and Pedagogical Center

Try not to worry about the child

environment, but it is important not to overdo it with overprotection.

By school, each student is already formed physically and psychologically (attention, memory, thinking, imagination and speech are developed, they can interact with adults). nine0006

Thus, there is no reason to worry too much that something will go wrong: your child already knows a lot, and the rest will learn in a new environment for him.

Make a comfortable daily routine

If parents suddenly feel that the child’s motivation has decreased, then check the daily routine: it should be structured, you should not put off going to bed for a long time.

Try to plan your day in advance to avoid overwork and evenly distribute the study load, combine it with physical exercises: exercises and walks. nine0006

Evgenia Vasilyeva
teacher-psychologist of the Moscow City Psychological and Pedagogical Center

.