swaggerdad Yup, you know summer is coming to an end when you see ‘Back to School” signs everywhere you go. Summer is a time most kids look forward to. Not having to wake up early and not having the burden of homework is what they look forward to the most. We as parents know first hand how hard it can be to transition from junior high school to high school. If this is your child first year in high school read on. We have to take an active role in helping our children cope with the life change that’s about to take place. Here’s a few tips to help your child transition from “summertime to school time”.
The best thing you can do to help your child is talk about it. Keep an open dialogue with your child. If they have certain anxieties or reservations about attending school, help them ease their fears by giving them the opportunity to talk about it. It’s normal to feel scared going into a new situation.
* Help your children adopt a different perspective by pointing out the positives about school. School allows them to discover and develop new strengths. And they’ll be able to see their friends every day!
* Establish a school routine early. If you’ve lost your routine over the summer, try to get back on track as early as possible. If you go into the school year with a routine, you can avoid many difficult days and stressful situations.
*Throw a party at the end of summer, it can be a happy time for child and his/her friends. Celebrate the beginning of the school year by throwing a party or barbecue. This way, your children won’t dread school. Instead, they might look forward to the party and the school year.
* Continue hobbies. It’s important to remind your children that they’ll still have free time after school and on weekends. If they played most of the day during the summer, they’ll still have plenty of playtimes after school lets out. The hobbies that they enjoyed during the summer can continue on through the school year.
Continue learning over the summer. One way to make the new beginning easier on your children is to limit their completely free time over the summer months. You can continue their education by providing educational activities and outings.
* Pick out first day outfits. Your children will be nervous and excited on the first day of school. They may even want to spend more time on their appearance. You can help them look forward to the first day of school by picking out special outfits to wear. Help them dress for success by helping them choose the perfect outfit.
* Shop for school supplies. Another activity that may get your kids excited about school is shopping for school supplies. Children sometimes have a specific list of items they’ll need. Let your child choose their own pens, paper and folders in their favorite colors.
* Take a trip to school. Often, fear of the new experiences to come can swallow a child’s enthusiasm for the new school year. If your child is attending a new school, bring him to school a day before the first official day of class. That way, he’ll know what to expect and feel more relaxed on the big day.
The new school year can be an exciting time for all. Stress always goes along with new situations. But if you put these tips into practice, your kids will be better prepared and may even look forward to the first day of school.
By Danny Reyes
