Whether your child is entering school for the first time or returning to institutionalized education, getting them (and yourself) ready for the life-change can be a bit challenging to say the least. Beyond the obvious battle of wading through a sea of other moms in the office-supplies aisle at your local market or superstore, there are going to be some difficulties on the home front, as well, as children begin to rise earlier, learn to live on a strict schedule, and start doing homework. There are going to be meltdowns, no doubt, which can be just as hard on you as it is on them. But if you take a few simple steps to prep for success, you can make the transition a lot smoother for everyone involved.
- Make a list. You are going to need a number of supplies for your child’s imminent excursion, and every kid likes to get new stuff, so capitalize on this by taking them out before the mad rush so they can pore over pencils, notebooks, backpacks, and the latest Dora the Explorer tees on the market without having to fight for the items they want. Just be sure to come armed with a comprehensive list to make the exodus a little easier on you.
- Rise early often. You know it’s going to be hard to get them up, dressed, and fed in order to leave the house at an early hour, and as a result you’ve been dreading the first day of school for months (probably even more than your children). So start the routine early. Get them up 10 minutes earlier than normal each day, starting a few weeks out, and slowly get them in the habit of washing up and dressing when they rise instead of waiting until the middle of the day.
- Hype it up. The prospect of going off to school can be pretty intimidating, if not downright scary, for most kids. But as a parent, you have a lot of influence over how they view their upcoming journey into the social and educational landscape that will soon monopolize their time. Of course, the best way to prepare them is by starting early with Mommy-and-Me classes (to get them used to being around other kids away from the home setting) and then entering a pre-school program. But if you haven’t been able to do either of these things, simply express to them how much fun they will have in class, and how much you wish you could be there instead of toiling away at work all day (since it’s probably true!).
- Address concerns. If your kids harbor some fears about attending school, even if they’ve done it before, you don’t want to push the issues under the rug and hope they’ll go away. Instead, find out exactly what is bothering them and try to debunk it. Better yet, find ways for them to face their fears head-on in a safe and comfortable setting.
- Make it a group effort. It’s just a fact of life that your kids will eventually become suspicious of your efforts to convince them that school is fun (how can it be fun if they’re away from you for the first time in their lives?). Getting their friends involved in the motivational process may prove to be a more effective method of persuasion.
[Submitted by Sarah Danielson, a marketing manager for Adiamor Diamond Jewelry.]
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