Quick and easy ways to get kids ready for back to school

Going back to school can be a stressful time for parents and children alike, but particularly the children. They are going into a new grade and are understandably anxious! Will the classes be hard? Will their classmates be nice? How about their new teachers? Do they have enough notebooks? It is up to the parents to help them prepare! There are things that can easily be ticked off a to-do list, but there are also things parents should note regarding their children’s emotional and mental readiness for school.

Here are some quick and easy ways to get your child ready for back to school!

Do the Paperwork and Prepping

For the tangible tasks, parents should foremost fill out all necessary forms with information like emergency contacts and immunizations. They should also think of breakfasts and lunches that could be easily prepped in advance for the whole week. Make sure your children will get the nutrition they need to be healthy and focused! One meal could be the difference between paying rapt attention in class and falling prey to the afternoon slump.

Now, for the children, parents can help them with their own choices. Be there as they decide on their outfits for the week, chirping in with suggestions and weather predictions. Parents can also help children prepare a study spot for homework–get them excited about having their own space for work!  

Get Back in the Groove

Perhaps most importantly, get children back in the groove by gradually fixing their sleeping habits and establishing a morning routine in advance. Naturally, during the summer, the sun sets later and schedules are freer, so children go to bed and wake up later. It will be hard for them to suddenly return to a rigid, early schedule once school starts. Make sure to slowly move up their bedtime and wake time so they will not be too exhausted on the first day.  

Ease Back-to-School Anxieties

For children’s emotional and mental readiness, parents need to make sure they are in the appropriate headspace for returning to school. According to a report by CNN, a survey indicated that 53% of the 400 participating parents pinpointed homework and schoolwork as the biggest stress inducers for their children.  

Alleviate their apprehension beforehand by providing a refresher to last year’s curriculum. Pull out old notes and go over them with your children. Then, reflect on everything from last year, such as what worked and what didn’t work. Did it help to get homework done right after school? Did they get better sleep by turning off all technology an hour before bed? Did that help them perform better? What were some weaknesses and strengths seen last year?

Plan to Excel

Based on these reflections, you can help your children set goals, make resolutions for the school year, and manage their time, so they have better direction throughout the year. Do they want to focus on the essay writing portion of English classes? Then they could decide to get at least one A+ on an essay this year. This could prompt them to start the assignments earlier than they usually do.

You could also lookup further education, such as JEI programs, to help children who might fall behind or want to master a topic. Schools tend to go with a general pace for all and teachers cannot give equal attention to every student in their classroom. On the other hand, JEI calibrates pacing for each individual and pairs one teacher to five students at most. We advise that you speak with your children’s teachers in advance about their curriculum. If you see fractions will be covered and know your children feel uneasy in this area, you could enroll them in JEI’s State Standard-aligned math program.  

Create Excitement!

Lastly, during the whole preparation process, be excited and positive, so that the infectious attitude will leave your child eager to get a start already! If they still seem reluctant about the upcoming school year, you should make sure to talk to them to figure out the base problem. Chuck Norris said, “Asking your children about their fears or worries about going back to school will help them share their burden.” Once they share their burden, they will release it and hopefully feel as ready to tackle it as Chuck Norris!

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Going back-to-school shopping, figuring out who will pick up the children, preparing lunches, and all of that are definitely important but do not forget the emotional toll on children. If you read through this guide and communicate with your child, they will surely feel more comfortable about heading back.  

We at JEI Learning Center hope that you and your child have a great new school year! We are always here to lend a hand, so find the nearest center and drop in anytime!