Back To School Tips For Parents
Here in the Penguin Patch we understand that the start of a new school year can be both exciting and stressful (and that’s just for the parents). Here are some important tips that you can share with incoming parents to help make the 2015-16 school year, a great one.
- Meet The Teacher
The lack of parental involvement is one of the biggest complaints of teachers. An active parent, who has personally met the teacher, is a parent who can help their student to learn. Meeting the teacher means that you understand the teacher’s methods and goals in the classroom and keeps your child from misinterpreting the organization and structure of the class. Particularly when it comes to homework! - Tour The School
When your school hosts an open house, be sure to go. Your familiarity with the school, the lunchroom and even playground will help you to understand the routines and the structure of the daily activities at school. If issues arise it may be something that can be easily addressed because of what you learned during the open house. - Friends
One of the more stressful questions asked by students is “will my friends be in my class?”. Unfortunately it doesn’t always work out and there are opportunities for new friendships. Look for ways to suggest that old friends can still meet up like during recess, lunch or even in a carpool. - School Supplies
Shopping for school supplies can make heading back to school fun. A new notebook or folders, pencil box or other supplies will help to create an anticipation of the first day of class and getting to use the new school supplies. Use the official school supply list to make sure that you have all of the right supplies. It can be very stressful to get to school and not have something that everyone else has already purchased. - Set Daily Routines
Boundaries are important and setting up the daily routine creates a clear understanding of those boundaries. It is important to have time to unwind after school and play. But set a time for homework or practice that is consistent everyday even if there is “no homework” that day. - Talk About School
An engaged parent learns about what is happening at school everyday. It is an opportunity to learn about friends, homework and other activities at school and allow you to be fully involved in your child’s life. - Eat A Healthy Breakfast Everyday
The old commercial used to say “Breakfast… the most important meal of the day.” Our moms used to say the same thing and this does still ring true today. A good breakfast means that hunger pains won’t begin to interfere when it is an hour until lunch and it provides energy for the day ahead. And remember that a good breakfast is not loaded with sugar. Eating smart and eating right at the beginning of the day can become a habit that will last a lifetime.
Here in the Penguin Patch our goal is to help kids and we hope these tips will help to make this school year the best ever. The Penguin Patch Holiday Shop is another way that we help kids. There are great life skills for budgeting and planning for the perfect gift during the holidays. We also make it possible for kids to shop whose parents have limited resources. Call us today to learn of more ways that we help kids and schools all across throughout the United States.
