How To Prepare Your Kids for Back-To-School
For most parents, back-to-school season is the most exciting time of the year. After all, it’s a new school year with brand new possibilities and opportunities for your child. But while you might look forward to the fresh start, your kids may not share your enthusiasm.
For many kids, after spending summer playing and having fun with friends, returning to school can feel like a letdown. If you think your children have reservations about going back to school, then read on for some helpful tips that will get them excited about the upcoming school year and assist them in settling back into their routine.
Studies show that, "parents who help their children generate excitement about going back to school often find that the transition is easier, and their children are better able to enjoy their return to school."
1. Plan for the first week of school
While it’s important to do everything you can to get your child excited about going back to school, it’s also crucial to plan ahead so that your child has the best experience possible. If your child is in elementary school, then they probably don’t have too many expectations.
However, if your child is a tween or teen who has more specific expectations regarding their schooling, then the first week of school will be more important. For example, you can help your child organize their schedule and decide when they need to do things like catch up on their homework, study for tests and complete extracurricular activities. By doing this, you can make sure that your child has all the time they need to do everything they have to do and have a positive experience when school starts again.
2. Plan Play Dates Before School Starts
Kids always get excited to see their friends, and one way to get them excited about going back to school is to get them excited to see their friends at school. A week or so before school starts, arrange play dates with your kids' friends, so that they re-bond. Kids who have friends at school will actually look forward to going back to school.
3. Buy New School Gear & Supplies
Even if your kids still have their old backpacks, lunchbox, and water bottles from last year. it is a good idea to buy them new school gear to get them excited about going back to school. Take your kid(s) shopping for back-to-school gear and supplies, and let them be a part of the fun. If you can't afford to buy new school gear, let them buy new school supplies like notebooks, pens, pencils, and all the supplies your kids would need at school. You can always shop online if you are short of time. Check out our Amazon store for so many back-to-school gears and supplies.
4. Visit the School
Schools usually open their offices a week before the kids actually return to the campuses. Most schools have a welcome back week a week before schools start, and you will get a chance to go to school and pick up textbooks, PE clothes, IPad or Chrome books, student ID, and any other school materials they need. Make sure to know when your children are scheduled to pick up their school materials. And if your school doesn't have a back-to-school week, visit the school with your kid(s), and find out who their new teachers are, if possible, and where their new classes are going to be, so they won't have the anxiety of finding their new classes or teachers the first day of school. If possible, find out who their new classmates are and touch base with them.
5. Have A Back-to-School Eve Party
Celebrate the start of the new school year with a fun School Year's Eve dance party, or dinner party, and ask your kids to make a list of fun memories from school to share with you. Let them talk about good memories from the years before, and what they most missed about school.
6. Have A Back-To-School Check Up
The kids may still have anxiety about getting sick at school. Taking a trip to your pediatrician might be a great idea to ease their worries. Let your doctor explain to the kids about all health concerns, and what they can do to avoid getting sick. If you can't take a trip to the doctor, research with your kids about all the precautions they can take to avoid getting sick.
7. Create A Homework Nook
Most kids hate doing homework, and if your kids are like most kids, they will hate it more if they don't have a comfortable homework station to do their work. Create a neat, cozy, and fun homework nook, and let them know they can count on you if they need any help.
8. Decorate Your Kids' Rooms
The night before school, when kids go to bed, decorate their rooms or their doors with back-to-school banners and balloons. It will be a great surprise when they wake up in the morning to a decorated room. It will cheer them up and will get their minds off of back-to-school jitters.
9. Take Cool Back-To-School Photos
Buy back-to-school signs and t-shirts, and take memorable photos of your kids holding their signs in their new back-to-school clothes. Find fun ideas for back-to-school photos here.
Make a special breakfast on the first day of school with these healthy and cute ideas by TasteOfHome. You can also ask your kids to give you a list of favorites for the first day of school.
11. Plan Back-To-School Lunches
Get your kids' help to plan their lunches for the first week of school. Go over this list to find quick and easy lunch ideas for back-to-school. If they are buying their food at school, make sure they have enough money in their account to purchase lunch at school.
12. Give Them Some Goodies
Buy cool snacks that your kids really love and pack for the first day of school with their lunch. Let them choose their favorite snacks to take to school.
13. Back-To-School Theater Night
Have a back-to-school theater night. Ask your kids to take turns and play their favorite teacher, and you be the student. Or pretend you are a reporter from The Times and interview your kids about their goals, wishes, and fears about the new school year. You would learn so much about your kids, and you would be able to help them with their jitters.
14. Read A Fun Back-To-School Book
Borrow back-to-school books from your local public library and read fun back-to-school classics to get your kids in the mood for the new school year. Click here for some ideas.
15. Post-School Rewards or Treats
Let your kids choose small but fun rewards or treats for after school, like ice cream or a favorite candy. When you have something to look forward to, your day is always better.
16. Create a Wish Jar
Create a jar and let your kids write their goals and wishes starting the first day of school and put them in the jar (with their names). At the end of the school year, they will have so much fun reading them.
Let your child know what to expect from each day, and don’t forget to have fun. Most importantly, have fun with your child and make the most of this exciting, new chapter of their life.
