| |  
Top 10 Ways to Get Your Child Ready For School
by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.
It's that time of year again, when the summer suddenly comes to a close and big yellow school buses begin to lumber along neighborhood streets. Whether your child is sad that summer vacation is drawing to an end or excited at the prospect of starting another school year (or maybe a little of both), here are 10 important tips for helping her get ready for more reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic.
- Prepare to rise and shine. If your child has gotten used to staying up late and sleeping in, don't wait until the day before school starts to insist on an early-to-bed, early-to-rise routine. Instead, start a couple of weeks in advance and gradually move up bedtime by 15 minutes or so every few days until you arrive at a sensible school-day schedule.
- Make her feel comfortable. If your child will be going to a new school, make sure that she attends any orientation programs the school offers. Even if there's no formal orientation, just taking her to the new school and walking around the grounds can make it feel a little more familiar. If possible, try to find out who her teachers are going to be and if any of her friends or the neighborhood kids will be in her class.
- Find out if anything is making her nervous. Many children are apprehensive if they have to move from a small school to a larger one, or if they'll face a major change in routine, such as having to move from classroom to classroom in junior high instead of staying in one room as they did in elementary school. Try to get your child to talk about anything that's worrying her and be ready to provide reassurance. If she's worried about changing classrooms, for example, you can tell her that there will be bells to signal when it's time to switch rooms and that she's sure to get used to the new schedule very quickly.
- Pull together relevant information. Make sure that you have up-to-date immunization records, emergency contact numbers, and any other pertinent information on hand-you'll need them for the slew of forms that are sure to pour in once school starts. Now is also the time to think about carpools for school or extracurricular activities.
- Consider any medical requirements. Put any prescription or nonprescription medicine your child requires for migraines, asthma, or other medical conditions in a bag with her name on it, along with written instructions on its use (some schools require this to be written by a doctor). Once school starts, you'll probably need to drop this off at the office or with the school nurse, since most schools don't even allow students to carry a couple of ibuprofen tablets around any more. Contact the school ahead of time to be sure that your child has had all the checkups and vaccinations required for children her age. And if she needs a physical exam or a vaccination, try to schedule it as soon as possible-pediatricians' offices as swamped with last-minute, panicked requests for appointments the few weeks before school begins.
- Hit the malls--gently. Buying a few new outfits is an annual ritual for many children, and it can help get them excited about starting school. But don't go overboard-there's a good chance that your child's tastes will change when she sees how other kids are dressing in the first few weeks of school. Same goes for backpacks and book bags, which many kids consider fashion statements as well as practical necessities.
- Look before you leap when buying school supplies. There's nothing like a new set of markers, an assortment of pristine notebooks, and some snazzy binders to get a kid in the mood for schoolwork. Still, many teachers these days have very specific requirements when it comes to their students' school supplies-everything from the dimensions of those binders to whether the markers should be fine or medium point, black or dark blue. So go ahead and whet your child's appetites with a few basics, but don't hit the stationery stores in earnest until after school starts. One key item to buy ahead: If you know that your child will be using a combination lock on a locker for the first time (a common occurrence in junior high), buy the lock ahead of time and have her practice dialing the combination-you won't believe how anxious kids can get about using these contraptions.
- Discuss school-year priorities. Figure out what your ground rules are going to be regarding after-school sports, chores and jobs, homework, and television. By discussing priorities ahead of time (e.g., homework before television or only one team sport per season), you can help her learn how to best schedule her time and avoid confrontations later on.
- Get the wheels turning. Think about what you feel like on your first day back to work after vacation and you'll realize that it's not always easy to get back into the swing of things. Help your child start off the school year prepared to concentrate and focus on her studies by limiting television and suggesting that she spend the last week or two of summer with a few good books.
- Ease into the new school year. For many people, Labor Day means one last chance to squeeze in another vacation, but try not to plan an action-packed trip to a theme park or a family reunion in a faraway locale right before school starts. Your kids are sure to be overstimulated, your routine a shambles, and your laundry hamper overflowing. Instead, close out summer with a little pleasant downtime at home to help everyone get ready for the challenges ahead.
Talk about:
|
Created July 18, 2001
Reviewed August 26, 2004
| |
| | 
|
