BACK TO SCHOOL DAZE: ARE YOU READY?

by Sue Zepeda

The lazy days of summer have ended and parents everywhere are again bracing themselves for another busy year of practices, lessons, conferences and homework.  This year, prevent your life from becoming a “school-year-whirlwind” with these simple steps:

Develop Daily Routines.

Routines are healthy for children and prevent chaotic mornings rushing to get out the door.  Start the night before by placing non-perishables into lunch bags, choosing outfits, and setting backpacks by the door.  If you have to be out the door by 7:00am, have children wake up at 6:00.  By 6:15, they should be dressed, have beds made, and ready for breakfast.  By 6:30 they should start their lunches, if making their own.  By 6:45 they can clean up, brush their teeth, grab their backpacks, and still be out the door by 7:00, no screaming necessary. 

“Homework Time.”

Designate 30 minutes to an hour every day for “Homework Time.”   Make it the same time every day.  Even if they have no homework or finish early, they can read or study for an upcoming test.  If possible, have siblings do their work at the same time, away from the television and other distractions.  “Homework Time” gives parents a break: while they do their homework you can check your email, go through the regular mail or start dinner.

Designate a Study Area.

Children are willing to study in a designated area if it is comfortable. A rocking chair, sofa, even pillows on the living room floor are okay study areas if your child prefers.  By simply keeping supplies within reach, the distraction of getting up to search for things in another room is avoided. This is especially true for the ADD/ADHD student.  

Bedrooms may not be suitable for children easily distracted and needing extra help staying on task.   If your kitchen table is also the desk, make clean-up easier by keeping supplies in clear plastic rolling bins, or on attractive shelves nearby for quick putting away or taking out.   

Organizing Notebooks.

Use Colored notebooks with pocket folders for each subject:  green for science, red for math, etc.   Keep separate or put into a large 3-ring binder, in the order of the classes.  To reduce the “crumpled-at-the-bottom-of-the-backpack” mess, label an extra pocket folder “Parent Info” for school newsletters, PTA notices, permission slips, etc.  Keep in the front of the binder.  Check notebooks daily.   

Handling Homework.

Organize your child’s homework by using a set of clear plastic, 3-sided folders, labeled by subject: “Science Homework” or “Math Homework;” keep with the subject notebook. The clear plastic allows you to see at a glance which subjects have homework. This works especially well for ADD/ADHD students.  Check folders daily.

Avoid misplaced, finished homework by labeling another set of clear folders by subject: “Science Papers to Turn In” or “Math Papers to Turn In.”  At the end of “Homework Time,” teach your children to put their work in the correct homework folders, then into their backpacks.  Your children will be ready for school and they can quickly find and turn in the correct work on time, every time!