Surviving September: Tips To Help Your Child And Family Ge..

It is that special time of year again. A time of new beginnings as we
close another summer chapter and start a brand new school year. Summer
can be a magical time for children. It is a time for many to relax
schedules, play, soak in some sunshine, grow, and most importantly...
rest. The fall is an exciting time filled with anticipation for a
healthy and productive school year. It can also present many
challenges for families as they attempt to adjust to a more demanding
schedule and meet the needs of everyone in the household.

Here are some ideas:

Talk to your child. This helps them to process their feelings about
what they have experienced and what they are looking forward to in
their world.

-Remember all of the fun activities from summer. Often times, talking
about recent experiences helps them to look forward to and transition
into new ones (encourages an understanding of time and change).
-What is your favorite thing about school? Why?
-Who are your friends? What do you like to do at recess?
-What do you think of your class this year? Classroom? Teacher?
-Do a timeline of his/her day. What did you do before lunch? After
lunch? After school?

Prepare physically for the demands of school.

-Set a good daily routine. Help your child develop an awareness of
schedules and why they are important. This helps children transition
to new tasks and provides structure and security in their world.
-Set a bedtime routine and stick to it. Kids thrive when they are well
rested. They are better able to attend and focus in class, stay
healthier, and are generally happier during the day. (9-12 hours of
sleep a night is optimal for growing children).
-Provide healthy snacks and meals and try to have a set mealtime for
the family.
-Include appropriate grooming (bathing, oral hygiene, washing hands)
habits in your routine as well.

Back to SCHOOL. An applied learning activity helps children to recall
what they already know and build upon it. It also fosters a sense of
achievement and confidence when learning new things. Help your child
see him/her self as a learner.

-Try to read every day with your child. Take turns reading a favorite
book. Ask him/her questions about what is being read. Look at pictures
and talk about what is happening in the picture (try to guess what
will happen next).
-Talk about the weather (science and nature). What will the weather be
like today? In a month? In two months? What will be happening outside?
Fall is a very exciting time to explore and learn about the changing
seasons.
-When you are in your neighborhood, talk about signs you see, identify
familiar things such as objects, street signs, and neighbors. When
walking or driving home, let your child direct you.. "Which way do we
turn next?"
-While at the grocery store, read the signs on the rows, read labels,
read everything! Talk about grouping and why products are where they
are and not somewhere else in the store. This helps children to build
an awareness of order and ultimately supports problem solving in
different situations.
-Go on everyday math and science adventures! Talk about numbers and
use different objects around the house to count, add, multiply and
divide. Ask questions like: How many more will make 10? If I eat 5 how
many will be left? When cutting a pie, talk about fractions and
percentages. When cooking, read and follow recipe directions, talk
about measurement, and the science of cooking and baking. What makes
things freeze? What is a solid? What is a liquid?
-Build a calendar with your child! Kids LOVE visual stimuli and it
will also help you to keep track of special events and activities.
Pull out the school year calendar and write in all of the half days,
holidays, and special events. You can even include what lunch is
served at school each day. Use your imagination and have fun with the
activity! It helps with counting, days of the week, and months of the
year. They will take pride in marking off days of the week and have a
way to look forward to special occasions. It also helps them to
process what has happened in their world and prepare for what is next.


Meet the needs of your entire family. Your children are not the only
ones who are experiencing a life change. A new school year can bring
about added stress with changes in schedules and demands that your
whole family must adjust to.

-Plan an activity for the entire family to look forward to on an
evening or weekend. The fun does not have to be over just because
summer has come to an end.
-Make sure you know the schedules of other family members. Everyone
seems to have lots things to do. Add these activities to your
calendar.
-Set a time (and place) for your family to be together each day (ex.
mealtime) so you can connect with each other about things that are
important.
-Everyone get your rest and do your best to make healthy choices.

Many warm wishes for a healthy and productive September and school
year!

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