Looking to give kids a better start to their school year? A new list of seven steps can help your child start the year off strong, safe and sound.
1. Take a realistic look at your child’s emotional school-readiness.
Qualities like being more sensitive or less sensitive, more outgoing or more reserved, louder or quieter, are all normal and have both benefits and potential liabilities. The sooner children can learn to be in charge of their qualities, so that these are gifts instead of problems, the happier and more successful they will be.
2. Be clear about both safety and learning expectations.
Tell your child clearly, 'I expect you to feel respected and safe at school. And I expect you to act in safe and respectful ways towards others.' Be explicit about what this means, using specific examples relevant to your child.
3. Make a plan for potential problems.
Children can suddenly find themselves struggling with some academic subject or having emotional or social problems with someone in their circle of friends. Explore ways to make learning and interacting with friends easier. Sometimes children need major support, but often a little bit of help can make a huge difference.
4. Stay in touch with what is going on at school.
Many children are tired of school by the time they get home and don’t give much information when asked general questions like, “How was school today?" At the same time, most children like to share what’s going on in their lives if they are listened to without being lectured or having to hear negative comments about themselves, their school, or their friends.
5. Offer support to your child’s teachers and schools.
Teaching is a hard job and schools face many challenges. Supporting teachers and not taking them for granted is vital to helping kids have a good experience at school.
6. Prepare your children to set boundaries and to advocate for themselves.
In an ideal world, people would always be kind to each other rather than being mean to each other. However, even people who really care about each other annoy and bother each other sometimes. Rehearsing how to handle specific problems will help to increase confidence, reduce anxiety, and build competence.
7. Advocate for your children when things go wrong.
Remember that, as parents, our job is to make sure that our children are in places that are emotionally and physically safe and with people who are creating a supportive, effective learning environment. If something goes wrong, be prepared to advocate in a respectful, powerful way for your child.
Source: Kidpower.org
