New School Year

As the long, languid days of August draw to a close, many parents begin the ritual of preparing their children for the new school year. While those children might attempt to mute the television when the commercials announce “Back-to-School” sales, parents know that the sooner they begin organizing, the less frenetic the change of schedule will be. Going on a shopping spree is only a small part of insuring that children are ready to return to school. Of course, students do need to obtain the essential tools for their particular grade, like notebooks, folders, binders, and backpacks. However, preparing the child physically and emotionally is paramount to insure a successful beginning to the school year.

Children should have a physical exam every year. Summer is a great time to schedule such an exam that may uncover problems that impede learning. Undiagnosed vision and hearing deficits put children at a distinct disadvantage in the classroom. Sometimes a school requires certification of a physical exam for entry into the next grade or participation in a sport. School personnel may allow the child to begin without the exam if the family has evidence of an impending appointment. Furthermore, mounting evidence demonstrates that proper dental care contributes to overall good health, so including a trip to the dentist in the school-readiness campaign is a good idea.

Sleep patterns have a huge effect on learning, so parents would be wise to ease into a schedule change as soon as possible. Rather than waiting until the night before school to switch bedtimes, setting incremental changes may be easier on parents and children alike. Developmental experts suggest that school-age children receive about ten hours of sleep per night. So, a child who goes to bed at 11:00 and rises at 7:00 is falling short of the recommendation. He may be tired and irritable at rising and distracted during class time. Shifting the rising and sleeping times by an hour each week may prevent the “jet-lag” effect on that first day.

Establish a family reading time each day. Many students view reading as a necessary evil during the school year and thus avoid it during summer vacation time. Parents who model reading behavior and who read to and with their children demonstrate that they are participating in an enjoyable activity. Even parents of high school can engage them in discussion if they read the same books as their teens. This practice need not stop with the inception of the academic year.

Plan a special activity prior to the beginning of school. This may be as simple as a family picnic the evening before school or any other “pre-season” activity. A new school year is a time for new beginnings!