Road to College - Back-to-School Transition

Let’s rewrite our calendars and make "Back-to-School" the new "New Year."

For families with school-age kids this is not a wild stretch of imagination because back-to-school feels more like a fresh beginning than January, which is so in the middle of the academic year. With all new beginnings, comes new resolve: New Year brings New Year resolutions and Back-to-School brings Back-to-School resolution. Let’s make sure that this 'Back-to-School" is truly "Happy New Year."

Back-to-school ritual should not only include physical exams, doctor’s appointments, shopping for clothes and loads of supplies but should also include getting your child ready emotionally for these important transitions:

• LESSONS LEARNED- Ask your child what worked last school year and what did not - taking tests, writing papers, a particular class, homework that was done but never submitted etc.? Chances are it will repeat this year as well unless you take steps to fix it.
• GOAL SETTING AND EXPECTATIONS- Help set some goals for themselves. Be careful that it is their goals and not just a projection of your aspirations/goals for them. This will help them prioritize what they should be involved in and what can take a back seat.
• SETUP SOME GROUND RULES – Designate set study times for every day of the week, especially if there are many after school activities your child is involved in. Duration of this study hour will depend on the grade your child is in. Take away the distracters during this time – TVs, cell phones, music players and laptop/computers (unless of course the assignments require computers).
• BEDTIME RITUALS –Bedtime ritual should go beyond setting a bedtime. Ask them to turn off their phones and laptops for the night because it is probably set to buzz at every new message. Ask them to get a head start on the morning by packing their bags and deciding on what they will wear to school. It will not only ensure pleasant mornings but will most certainly take care of "assignments left at home."
• COURSE SCHEDULE - Sign up for e-alerts and look at teacher pages on the school website. Most teachers’ pages will have a good description of what they expect from the students, especially as it relates to the study material and test days. This will be a good planning tool for you to factor in to your schedules.

First couple of months of starting high school is usually quite rough: tougher courses, rigorous pace of curriculum and extracurricular activities. The pace with which a day in high school moves is quite a contrast from middle school. Prepare your child for a bumpy start. Prepare yourself to switch hats at a moment’s notice from being a parent to being a friend depending on what the moment demands. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!