3...Build excitement
Help your youngster get revved up about what he’ll learn this year. To find out what’s ahead, attend back-to-school night, talk to his teacher, and check the school website. Find topics you think will interest him, and read about them together in library books or online. Look for hands-on opportunities to get him excited, such as visiting a public garden or planting seeds at home if he’s going to study plant life cycles.
2...Set goals
Specific, doable goals are critical to any successful mission. Let your child write goals and “due dates” on strips of construction paper (“I will finish long-term projects one day early so I have time to review them”). He can loop the strips together into a paper chain, then cut off each link as he achieves the goal. With hard work, he’ll be able to say, “Mission accomplished!”
1...Develop routines
Your youngster will blast off ready to learn if he is well rested, well fed, and active. Set a bedtime that gives him the recommended 9–11 hours of sleep. Make sure he wakes up early enough to enjoy a healthy breakfast. Also, try to see that he gets at least an hour of physical activity a day.
Last but not least, be in school every day!
Did you know that attending school regularly will affect how well your youngster does this year and in later grades? Use these suggestions to help her get an A+ in attendance.
- Stay healthy. Remind your child to wash her hands with soap and water before eating and after using the restroom or playing outside. Also, work with your pediatrician if your youngster has a chronic condition, such as allergies or asthma, which could cause her to miss school.
- Address problems. If your child wants to stay home when she’s not sick, ask why. Talk to her teacher if this happens frequently or if you suspect a bigger issue. For example, struggling with schoolwork and being bullied are two common reasons for wanting to avoid school.
Here’s to a wonderful new school year! Feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or comments I look forward to this exciting journey with all of you. It's great to be a Bassetti Bear!
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated