Back to School Tips
A few tips and tricks to help your little ones prepare for school again!
- Backpack Safety
- Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. Adjust the pack so that the bottom sits at their waist. Then, remind your child to use both shoulder straps, so that they don’t strain any muscles.
- Traveling to and from school.
- Make sure to review the basic rules of traveling safely to and from school whether it’s on a bus, in a car, or walking.
- On the bus remind them to look both ways before crossing the street to the bus stop, and that they stand where they can see the bus driver (which means the driver can see them too.)
- If they’re walking to school, make sure the route is a safe route, and identify any other children that they might be able to walk with on the route. Bright colored clothing or a visibility device will make your child more visible to drivers as well.
- Bullying
- When your child is being bullied, make sure to alert school officials and teach your child to be comfortable with when and how to ask for help. Make sure to monitor online sites and texting to be able to identify and handle cyberbullying.
- When your child is the bully, help your child learn empathy for other children by asking them to consider how the other child feels. Focus on praising your child when they behave in positive ways as well.
- Building good homework and study habits.
- Create an environment that is homework-friendly, starting at a young age, that is quiet and without many distractions. Some children may need extra assistance, help remembering their assignments, or have difficulty focusing on their work. Speak with their teacher and other counselors about ways to overcome these problems.
- Make the first day of school easier.
- Remember that you don't need to wait until the first day of class to ask for help. Schools are open to address any concerns a parent or child might have, including the specific needs of a child, over the summer. The best time to get help might be one to two weeks before school opens.
- Many children get nervous about new situations, including changing to a new school, classroom or teacher. This may happen at any age. It can be helpful to rehearse heading into the new situation. Remind them that there are probably a lot of students who are uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are nervous and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible. If your child seems nervous, ask them what they are worried about and help them problem-solve ways to master the new situation.