This August, 2018 of a Parent Map cover says it all! Getting back into school takes planning and patience. Here are a few ideas to think about.
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- Remember not to over-schedule your child. We all need downtime, especially at the beginning of the school year. Unscheduled time allows us to relax and choose our own activities. Kids need that same consideration and downtime.
- If your child gets hurt feelings or feels left out of activities, try to talk about how to handle situations without getting emotional before you alert the teacher. It may be solvable by the child with a bit of discussion and time to vent.
- Know when to step away from getting involved. Keep your parent helicopter grounded unless your child is in a serious, harmful situation. When that happens, speak with the supervising adult/teacher to find a solution for a more serious learning problem or issue.
- As the schol year gets underway and quiet times are in place, foster creative talents away from electronics. Encourage young kids to play board gamems, build blanket forts, plant bulbs, ride bikes. Older students may require more creative shoving to break them away from technology: try sports, art classes, volunteering, joining or forming clubs. Find their interests and build on them without burdening them and yourself with too many away-from-the-neighborhood activities.