SENDING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL — TIPS FOR PARENTS

A new school year means a new class, new and some old friends, new teachers, new goals, and maybe even a new school! For successfully sending your child to school without any sort of hassle, we have put together a list of eight helpful school tips that we hope will make the move into a new school year a little easier for you and your child.

Organize all the paperwork: In the world of education, there are lots of meetings, paperwork, and documentation to keep track of. Try to keep a family calendar of school events, educational meetings, conferences, etc. Setting up a binder or folder to keep your child's education documentation, meeting notices etc in sequential order can also help you stay organized.

Start a communication log: Keeping track of all phone calls, e-mails, notes sent by the school, meetings, and conferences is significant. Create a "communication log" for yourself in a notebook that is easy to refer later on, whenever required. Be sure to note the dates, times, and nature of the communications you have with school, teachers etc.

Buy the school supplies earlier: You might have got  books and student’s supplies list from the school. In order to remain ready for the back to school without hassle buy all the school supplies like books, bagpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, notebooks, art and craft materials, shoes, school uniform etc. at least two weeks prior opening of school.

Relieve back-to-school jitters: Just talking about the upcoming year and changes can help reduce some of that back-to-school anxiety! Talk to your child about exciting new classes, activities, and events that they can participate in during the new school year. If your child is going to attend a new school, try to schedule a visit before the first day. Talk to older students, it is sometimes helpful to know about the services and accommodations of the school, which can help you explain to your child what to expect when school begins.

Keep everyone informed: It's important that  you and the school communicate early and often! If there is anything that you feel is important to share with the teachers and principal of your child before school starts, or during the year, don't hesitate to contact them! The more proactive and honest you are, the better the school staff will be able to meet your child's needs.

Establish before and after school routines: Talk about and plan the changes in you and your child's daily routine that will happen once school starts. You can even begin practicing your new schedule, focusing on morning and evening routines, and begin carrying out them well in advance of the first day of school.

Stay up-to-date: Being knowledgeable about your child and the school information for the coming session can help you become a better advocate for your child. Try to keep up-to-date on new education legislation, news, and events. The more you know, the more prepared you will be to navigate the world of education and successfully advocate for your child!

Attend school events: Take advantage of Open House, Back-to-School Night, and parent-teacher meetings to help you and your child get a feel for the school and meet the teachers, other staff, students, and families. Share the positives about working with your child, and let the teacher know about changes, events, or concerns that should be considered for your child in particular.

BACK TO SCHOOL CHECKLIST

First Steps

• First of all enroll your child (if he/she is not already registered from the previous year).
• If you want to know anything regarding the school or any information in your child’s perspective, make a list of questions & give a call to school management & inquire accordingly.
• Get the School Schedule in place which comprises of school timings and on which day classes start and what time your child should arrive at the school.
• Carefully fill out emergency contact sheets and any other required forms.

Check Medical Requirements

• Before sending your ward to school, make sure your child has all required immunizations.
• Schedule a physical exam for your child if necessitated to participate in school activities.
• Get your child’s vision checked before school begins if he/she is due for an exam.
• Notify the principal’s office, the school nurse, and your child’s teachers about any health problems or medications of your child.

Stock Up on School Supplies

• Check the school website or call for a list of required school supplies.
• Find out whether students will store supplies at school or bring them home every day.
• Buy a nice and durable backpack or bag to carry daily items.
• Buy a nice lunch box and water bottle to carry lunch and water.
• Buy required books, notebooks, stationery, art & craft material well in advance.
• Review the school dress code.
• Buy school uniforms and shoes, if necessary.

Learn About the School

• Find out whether the class teacher prefers to communicate by phone, e­mail, or written note.
• Know what your child is expected to learn in his/her grade level.
• Read carefully the information on the school’s website.
• Note down the phone numbers for checking school closures or reporting absences of your kids.
• Find out the modus operandi for taking your child out of school early if any case arises.
• Read the school handbook and the information and instructions written in it and make sure your child understands the rules.
• Review the school’s reputation and facilities it will be providing to your kids.

Plan to be involved

• Mark school events on the family calendar so that you don’t forget them and could prepare your kids accordingly.
• Attend the back-to-school program so that you can gather the latest information or any updates from the school and teachers.
• Schedule and attend parent–teacher meetings for sure, because this will help you in knowing teacher’s views about your kids & to present your views, expectations from  them.

Plan Healthy Meals

• Stock up your kitchen with nutritious food for breakfast, lunch and after-­school snacks.
• Find out whether snacks and drinks are available at school or can be brought from home.
• Ask the school’s canteen what they offer for kids to eat.
• Alert the school staff and the class teacher if your child has a severe food allergy.

Arrange Transportation

• Try going to school with your child as he/she might feel much more comfortable in your company.
• Choose the means of transportation carefully:
• Bus: Make sure he/she knows where and when to be picked up before and after school.
• Bicycle: Review road safety and make sure he/she has a helmet.
• On Foot: Walk the route together and review pedestrian safety guidelines.
• Arrange a carpool if necessary and introduce your child to the other parents and children.
• Take down the contact information of parents who can pick up your child in an emergency.

Make After­ School Plans

• Arrange for the after­school activities and the child care.
• Choose extracurricular activities cautiously to avoid over-scheduling.
• Make sure your child knows where to go after school each day for example to a sports complex, for tuition, music or dance classes.

Help Your Child Prepare For School

• Make arrangements so that your child can play with others in his age group before classes begin so that he or she can learn how to play and study among the kids.
• Talk to your child about his/her feelings about starting school and talk over any other concerns.
• Talk with your child about his/her daily school schedule.
• Talk about peer pressure with your child.
• Ensure that your child memorizes your home address and home and work phone numbers.
• Tour the school with your child so he/she can find his/her classrooms, the restrooms, and the cafeteria.
• Arrange a time for you and your child to meet his new teachers and introduce them with each other.

Lay the Ground Rules

• Fix a firm bedtime before the school begins.
• Assign a proper place where and when your child will do his/her homework.
• Figure out a plan for balancing homework and play time of your child.
• Set rules for the time spent on TV, video games, and computer use for non-­school projects.

How to Ease Back to School Stress?

Change may be good, but it’s not necessarily easy. Switching from the home play fun to rules, homework, and routines can be a big jump for parents and children alike. But with a little preparation and the right attitude, it doesn’t have to be so hard. Here are some ways to get ready and motivated for a great year.

Getting Geared Up

For many families, buying new stuff is a fun way to get into the back-to-school groove. But if you’re not careful, shopping can be a budget buster. Choose new items wisely, don’t overbuy, and check with school for the required material for your kid.

School Uniform: Try to gather information from the school, what type of clothes and shoes are recommended for the kids according to the season. Try to buy clothes a week or two earlier than the first day of school, so that you can check whether they properly fit to your child. If you are giving school uniform for stitching to the tailor, make sure that he/she delivers them at least ten days earlier than the school opening day so that you can get it fit properly if the need arises. Because, sometimes they might be stitched loose or tight according to your child’s physic. Buy socks, shoes, belts and ties well in advance so that on the first day of school your child might get dressed completely. Get your children excited for the new school year with a new outfit purchased early in the back-to-school season.

School supplies: Start looking early for items you know your kids will need. Designate a box for supplies so you can stay organized as items accumulate. Let your kids select their own backpacks and other items. Before hopping into the market to buy all the school supplies research on internet where you can get a much greater range of products and varieties of all those items and buy them at the ease of sitting at home and get them delivered at your home within in time to avoid any last moment hassle.

Technology: Tech tools can be expensive. Figure out what your kids will require and prioritize accordingly. Check with the teacher to find out what types of assignments your child will be doing and what kind of computer programs and gadgets are required for him.

Academics: Teachers have different opinions on whether kids should review academics before beginning a new school year. Some opine that knowledge enriching activities such as zoo and museum visits are more significant than workbooks and written review. But most agree that it’s very much useful to take time to review last year’s curriculum and making your child practice with that. Some kids, especially young ones, enjoy math and reading worksheets. Indulge them!

Books: The most significant thing your child can do over the time  to keep his/her mind sharp is to read as much as he or she can. As you get ready for a new school year, make sure he/she has completed any required reading. If he’s having trouble with reading or pronunciation try reading the book aloud together, so that he can get confidence of reading. If your child’s school does not require students to read specific books over the time, look for enjoyable books that tie into the social studies curriculum for the next year.

Study skills: If your child struggles to meet your expectations on report cards, he might not know how to study. Each year, the schoolwork gets harder and your child will be expected to do more independent learning. Spending some time on study skills before a new school year could be a wise investment. Your child’s former or future teacher can offer suggestions based on your child’s learning style.

Keep Kids Healthy: For most kids, their daily lives are much less structured before going to school. The shift back to the school year can be hard. Take into account your kids’ personalities and habits to determine how soon you need to start easing back into the school routine.

Bedtimes: Sleeping late in the morning and watching cartoons on television late night is a sublime pleasure for kids when they don’t have to go to school. But it can bring havoc on kids’ health if they have to all of a sudden start waking up early. Consider a step-down approach, gradually getting your kids to go to bed and wake up earlier.

Getting ready for back-to-school doesn’t have to be a drag. Emphasize the new school year as a fresh start and a chance to get off on the right foot and avoid bad habits like procrastination. Keep an upbeat attitude, and your kids will feel positive and energetic, too on the first day of school.

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How to Make Your Child Ready For First Time to School?

Heading back to school takes mental preparation (for both you and your children.) Don’t worry: no need to get panic, a little planning can keep you and your kids relax on the first school day. Obviously you want to make you and your kids into back-to-school mode without chaos. With the beginning of school, parents face new organization challenges.

Get organized now for the best school year ever! Get the family organized and ready to roll for the new school year with these key tips.

• Begin early: Start getting ready for back to school at least four weeks before the first bell rings. Go ahead and quietly make plans for the new school year. Some tasks, for example, enrolling in activities and after-school programs, may need to be done even earlier in the summer vacations itself.
• Visit the school: Find out whether there are any new policies you need to know, such as a change in dress code or an additional school supplies. If you’re new to the school, make sure you have filled out all the required forms.
• Visit the doctor: Make sure your child is healthy and up on immunizations. Your pediatrician is also a good resource for school issues such as bedtime and television viewing time. Tell your doctor if your child struggled in school the previous year or has had recent changes in behavior or interest in learning.

• Meet the teacher: Discover when your child’s school announces classroom assignments. Most schools host an open house when parents can meet the teacher’s of the child and ask about their performance and weaknesses. Try to meet your child’s teacher before the first day of school. Let her know you would like to work together to make sure your child has a good year ahead.
• Surf around: Find out how much information your child’s school posts online. Some schools have small websites with basic information, while others have features like calendars, information on joining the parent group, and programs to track your child’s grades. Most school sites post a link to the class-wise curriculum. Go through the website and find out what your child will be learning in the coming session. If he’s going to be studying planets, you might be able to fit in a trip to the planetarium. If he’s going to be studying history, you can look for age-appropriate movies with historical themes.

• Think transportation: Will your child take the bus? Will you yourself or older sibling take him to school daily? Check the bus schedule to find out where your stop is and what time the bus is scheduled to be there. If your bus stop is at a little distance from your house, find out kids in the vicinity going to same school & arrange them to walk back home together.

• Stock up: Of course you’ll go back-to-school shopping, a task that is best done early and in small bites. Besides equipping your kids, use list provided by the school to buy all those things your child will need for going and learning in school.

• Roll back bedtimes: Teachers recommend easing kids back into the sleeping routine for the school year a few weeks before school starts. That way, your child will be refreshed in class instead of struggling to stay awake. Try moving back your child’s bedtime by 10 or 15 minutes a week until you’re back to the school-year schedule. It’s also a good idea to start waking up your kids earlier in anticipation of the new school year. The week before school reopens, plan a fun family outing that needs everyone to awake early, as if it were a school day. And also talk to him/her about the school and behaving appropriately in the school.

• Set the stage: Get the kids’ school clothes, shoes, i-cards, bags, books, notebooks, pencil box, lunch box, water bottle, art & craft accessories organized and accessible. Set up a station for backpacks, books and other things as well as a basket for school-related papers.
• Be positive: Kids groan about the start of the new school year, but often they are as ready for school to resume as you are. (Read this article which will help you to prepare your child for first time to school) Keep a positive attitude about the beginning of school even when things don’t go exactly your way. Maybe you’re dealing with incomprehensible school supplies that are hard to find. Try to make your family excited about a new school year so everyone can get off to a great start.