Preparing for the First Week of School

Summer 2017… is flying by! Now August has arrived, school supplies are out in full force, and teachers are starting to plan for the upcoming year. What does this mean for kids? What does this mean for families?  What does this mean for… our kiddos! 

For many families, summer is a time where schedules are more relaxed. Kids and parents alike enjoy later bed times, later mornings, less structure, and less academics. Now that August has arrived many parents who had good intentions of having their kids read every day (myself included) are realizing that they are running out of time. AHHHHH!!!!!!!  So… what can we do to prepare our kids for the first week of school. Whether it is one week away or five weeks away… it is time to start thinking out it!

1. Bed Time: It is time to start aiming towards putting the kids to bed a little earlier. If you have middle school or high school aged kids they may be staying up too late. This will be a huge adjustment!
2. Early mornings!  Pre-teens and teenagers are never ready for the early morning… but if they are not getting out of bed until mid-morning… it is time to getting them out of bed! Again, this will be a hard adjustment for many kids.
3. Reading:  Did the kids start off strong with their reading this summer, then it just disappeared. I know the feeling all too well.  July just seems to be the month of NO Reading in my family. Between baseball fields, camps, and summer cookouts – we just can’t seem time to find time to read – at least not on a consistent schedule. So now that it is August – get back on that schedule! Have your kids read daily.
4. Electronics:  Put them away for most of the day. Get moving!! Once school starts kids will be inside most of the day. Now is the time to push them outside and get them moving! Have them take a walk, ride a bike, create an obstacle course.
5. Math: Depending on the age of your students, it might be time to brush up on some math facts. If your child is upper – elementary age. Have them practice their multiplication tables or basic division facts. If your child is younger, have them practice basic addition or subtraction.

Is preparing kids for school necessary? It is definitely not required… but my opinion will always be: the more kids are prepared the better they will do. We all want the transition back to school to go smoothly for all students.  Smooth transitions lead to good school-years. Good school years will lead to less stress for the students and the family.

The onset of August is a great reminder that the school year is just around the corner. Whether you adopt one or all my suggestions.  Starting to prepare students for the next school year is a smart choice to make! So… make sure to enjoy summer time and the life of less scheduled activities and no school busses. We want kids and families to enjoy the last few weeks of summer 2017.

Want a few more tips? Check out the following article:

10 Ways to Prepare Your Child for School

About the Author Pam lives in Michigan with her husband and two boys. No pets as of yet..  but she is starting to cave on the idea. Over the past 18 years she worked as a Teacher, Assistant-Principal, and Curriculum Specialist. She loves school, reading, and learning new things.