How to Prepare Your Kids for the New School Year? Be Cool!

Can you believe it? The school break is speedily coming to an end. It’s an exciting time, as the kids are about to engage in many new experiences. Most are entering new and advanced classes. Some are taking it one step further and entering new schools. But let’s not forget our little ones, who will be stepping into kindergarten for the first time. Yes, it’s exciting, but we imagine it’s a little scary for everyone.

So, with two more weeks to go, we want to help you and them get ready. In the words of today’s youngsters, we want them to know it will be ‘lit’. All it takes is a little patience and some adjustment. To help you and them keep that in mind, we’ve come up with six tips that can help. All they have to do is remember to ‘be cool’.

Six Tips to Help You and Your Kids Prepare for the New School Year

Before the first day, visit the school with your child. Presumably, your teenagers may have already done so for their orientation. However, it’s a good idea to take your preschoolers and kindergarteners for a visit sometime within the next two weeks. Make it exciting. Describe the fun they’ll have making new friends and learning new things.

Engage your child. According to their age, their concerns will vary. Teenagers may be nervous about making new friends, the level of work they’ll now be required to do, or not having all their school supplies. Your younger ones may be anxious about a particular teacher, while your very little ones may not be fully prepared for the new faces they will encounter and structured learning. Have a light family chat or one-on-one talks that allow them to express their concerns fully. Remember, especially for teenagers, you may need to ask lots of questions to evoke heartfelt responses.

Create a routine now. Yes, school reopens in approximately two more weeks, but don’t wait until then to get them into a routine. Now is an excellent time to ease them into the school-year routine of going to bed early and waking up on time. Over the next couple of weeks, you can start training them with alarm clocks, gradually adjusting to the appropriate time for school. Now, don’t worry. They can still enjoy the last of their holidays. Only it will have more structure.

Out with the old—start anew. A new school year is beautiful as it offers you and your child or children a fresh start. You can begin anew! If you and they were unhappy with their performance last year, this school year offers a chance to improve things. If their schedule lacked balance last term, you can create a new one that allows them to study and enjoy fun extracurricular and social activities. Out with the old and start afresh this school year.

Objectives—set them. It doesn’t matter the age of your child. You can still set objectives if they are young. Your young ones can also benefit from learning the practice of establishing and achieving goals if you make it a fun exercise. Consider your child’s age and set appropriate goals. Engage them in the process. If they are older, you can have them determine what they would like to accomplish for the new term or year. Also, you don’t have to restrict them to academic objectives. Once they’re decided, place them in a visible area and track their progression with them. Find fun, innovative ways to reward accomplishment.

Lighten up. According to your child’s age, school can be pretty stressful. Some will now spend the next couple of months getting ready for the exam that will transition them to secondary schooling, while others will prepare for the end of secondary school while contemplating tertiary education options. Therefore, every so often, you’ll have to step in and remind them to lighten up. We know you want them to work hard, but they’ll need more than academic excellence to be a well-rounded student. Guide them into new, interesting experiences that will allow them to acquire different skills. But most importantly, keep in mind that they are children. Help them enjoy their childhood!

As your big and little learners prepare for the new school term, we want to remind you and them to ‘Be Cool’! Let this be your catchphrase as your progress throughout the year.

Sources: EmpoweringParents.com, Scholastic, The Sunshine Method and WSEA Tutoring.