I can’t believe it’s that time of year again, back to school! I know there are some schools around the country that have already started, and some schools are starting in a few weeks. Whenever school starts for your student there are 5 ways to help your child have a great school year.
- Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. It’s not even about the hours you sleep as much as it is about consistent sleep at the time the body needs it. Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM are the times the body gets the most beneficial sleep. Keep it consistent and you’ve done your child a huge favor in making this year a great school year.
- Keep the stress level down. Kids get stressed too, usually because of a chaotic environment. Learn to manage your stress and that will help your child in school, and in all areas of life. Not only will your behavior become a model for them throughout their lives, but it will help them be more focused on the now.
- Routines are a good thing. No, really! Variety has its place in life but if you keep a regular routine going throughout the school year it will keep things on an even keel, which will allow your child to focus on what’s important. There are always exceptions to any well-laid plan because life happens. Having a routine takes the guess work out for your child and insures you will be ready for the unexpected.
- Avoid extracurricular overload. We as a culture, have a tendency to do more than we can manage. After all, we don’t want to deprive our children of opportunities to experience new things, right? Trying to cram too much into a day adds undue stress on everybody. Learn to balance the extracurricular stuff and you’re off to a great start in helping your child have a great school year. Bonus: when some special event does come along you won’t be over committed and you will be able to take advantage of the opportunity.
- Teach your child respect; respect for self, respect for time and respect for others. This will help cut down on a lot of drama and allow your child to focus on the important stuff.
This may seem like an unconventional list of things to help your child have the best school year ever, and I guess in a way it is. But these are important life-skills to have, and will be effective when applied to their school year as well.
Here’s to a great school year for you and your child!