Getting through the School Daze
It's back to school time again. Does the thought of having to get everyone organized and out the door make you want to send for boarding school brochures? Here are a few tips to help get through that back to school daze.
Making Merry Mornings:
The biggest cause of whining and tantrums in the morning is a sleepy child trying to make a decision. Eliminate the choices along with the grumpiness.
- Lay out clothes the night before. This simple action can prevent wasting time looking for a missing shoe or favorite pants that are still in the dryer.
- Pack a lunch or put out lunch money the night before.
- If family members share a bathroom in the morning, work out a schedule and have them stick to it.
- A good night's sleep is essential to reducing some of the morning moodiness. Keep a regular bedtime - both parents and children.
Staying Cool At School:
New situations can make children anxious and uncomfortable. Knowing what to expect the first day can ease some of the anxiety.
- If the child is going to a new school, attend the orientation session or arrange for a tour of the school. Navigating around a new place can be scary for a child.
- Suggest to the youngster to call friends to find out if they share any classes. What a comfort to have a friend to sit next to in class or in the cafeteria.
- Buy only 1-2 new outfits before schools starts. Usually it is still warm when school starts so children can wear last spring's clothes, plus this gives the child time to see what is "in" this year before buying.
Effortless Evenings:
Homework, clubs, sports?Organization is key to keeping track or what's happening and when.
- Create a special spot for homework. Setting one location for studying can help with concentration as well as minimize the chance of a book being misplaced.
- Have a system for the student to keep track of all assignments and upcoming tests. This system can be as simple as a small notebook where homework for all classes is written down.
- Start a family calendar to keep track of PTA meetings, school parties, extracurricular activities, etc.
- A daily family ritual can give the child (and parents) something to look forward to. Ideas are a card game after dinner, a walk in the park, or a crafts project.
About The Author
Written by Megan Corwin, Personal Coach. Visit www.megancorwin.com or email megan@megancorwin.com to schedule your complimentary 30-minute coaching session and to find out how a personal coach can help you have more time and energy for the things you enjoy.
MORE RESOURCES:
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Helping Your Teen Get Back to School With Clear Skin
Backpack? Check. Notebooks? Check.
Bedtime and Sleep Habits
Bedtime and children's sleep habits can cause nightmares - for parents, that is! Often at the end of a long day all you want is a little peace and time for yourself. After all, you have probably devoted the entire to the service of children in some form.
Psychological Effects of Child Abuse
Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child abuse often become child abusers themselves or can become perpetrators of violent crimes. Many inmates in our jails and prisons have been victims of child abuse.
Games Of The Past Meet The Present
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters' children for a couple days, when she and her husband traveled to a bed and breakfast for some much need rest and relaxation. They don't have a chance to get away that often, so I was more than happy to help them out for this little getaway.
Educational Toys - How Do Parents Choose The Best Toys For Their Child
The choices are mind numbing. Walk into any toy store or the toy section of any department store and there are shelves and tiers of toys labeled 'educational toys'.
From Go Fast Kids to Calm Kids
How excited do kids get with the start of school approaching? Getting kids to go from the freedom of school holidays to move to that place of being settled and ready for school can be a challenge for some parents. Many children now days are identified as being ADD and ADHD I call these kids "go fasts" and the transition from holidays to school can be a bit more of a challenge for these kids.
What Do Chinese Water Torture and Arguing with Children Have in Common?
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down onto a cold, hard table, unable to move any part of your body. You can't see anything around you because your eyes are covered.
If your child is being bullied - 20 top tips for parents
Keith is now in the fourth grade and he dislikes school. For a fourthgrader, this does not sound right.
Over-Focused ADHD
The least flexible character in all of the stories of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin has got to be Rabbit. Oh, he can get a lot of things done, and he's the one character who will be prepared when winter comes, but he has a very hard time shifting from one activity to another.
ADD / ADHD Children : Being Your Childs Best Friend
Do you live with an ADD / ADHD child? If so-- my hat is off to you! ADD / ADHD children are brilliant, full of energy, smart as a whip (as grandma says), and tons of work. They are also the rising sun and the setting star: meaning much of life revolves around them in one way or another.
Personal Responsibility: What It Means and Whose Job is It?
"How many times do I have to tell you to clean your room?"
Why should a child keep his room neat? Many children say they don't care whether it is neat or dirty, so why should it matter to anyone else? Unless it is a health or safety hazard, or things are getting lost and broken? Then comes the age old question, "What is neat?" The answer certainly differs with a ten year old child and a thirty five year old Mom. Who is setting the standard of how clean a room must be to be acceptable.
What You Should Know About Counseling for Attention Deficit Disorder
At the ADHD Information Library we are big believers that you should not just be giving a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder medication without also providing some sort of counseling or therapy. There are good, long-term studies that show that medication by itself over the long term is not a whole lot better than no treatment at all (Satterfield, et.
An Overview of Alternative Treatments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Since so many would rather avoid the use of stimulant medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder if possible, a growing need for the development of alternative treatments for ADD ADHD has developed over the past twenty years. Although there are many products that claim to help any child with ADD ADHD, the truth is that there are only a few non-medication treatments for attention deficit disorder that have actually undergone even the simplest of clinical trials.
What Makes a Good Evaluation for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
So you have just returned home from your third meeting with your child's teacher. She tells you that your child is not getting his work done, he cannot sit still, and he is simply not going to have any success in school unless something changes.
Late Night Adventures with Your Children
Vacations are fun ! Weekends with the family are nice. But, Late Night Adventures are "simply marvelous".
Back to School Feng Shui
Every school year parents and students dutifully trudge through the malls in search of the perfect sneaker or the cool new outfit for the coming school year. However, it's unlikely that the new shoe or shirt will benefit them as much as a new design in the bedroom.
A Place For Everything: Its Childs Play
What parent hasn't gone into a son's or daughter's room and wondered, "Where did I go wrong? How could I have created someone who creates such a mess?"At this point it is essential to recognize that not everyone is born organized, just as not everyone is born with a talent for art or mechanics. But anyone can learn the basic principles of organization given sufficient motivation and instruction.
Why First Borns Fuss, Seconds Are Resilient and Last Borns Like To Laugh
How can two or three children in the same family be so different? They are brought up in the same broad social environment, under a similar set of rules and an identical family value system. They also come from the same genetic pool yet they can be so different in personality, interests and achievement.
Ten Ways to Help Your Child Make Friends
Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent or teacher more than the plaintive cry "nobody likes me" or"I don't have any friends." We wish there were something we could do to insure the child will be, if not the most popular, at least included in the games on the playground.
Parenting Your Teenager: 8 Things You Need to Be Doing
Get into their world. The world that teens are growing up in is not the world in which we grew up.
|