Prepare children for back to school

Summer is slowly coming to an end and the beginning of the school year for your children is just around the corner. The goal is to be organized, prepared and focused, while maintaining the calm and rest that you hopefully achieved during the summer. So how do you get going back to school without interrupting all that good downtime feeling? Simple, it starts with the four P’s, pen, paper, plan and preparation. Along with the hustle and bustle of getting the kids ready for school, you’ll also be faced with a seasonal transition.

Seasonal changes can affect the mind, mood, and motivation (energy). The transition from summer to fall mainly affects our mind and motivation. Unlike other seasonal transitions, going from summer to fall is filled with so many chores, tasks (energy), and planning/preparation (brain gymnastics) that doing it with a plan is important for balance.

Buy an attractive pad of paper for each child you have. Sit down with your pads and a pen and start with the older child’s pad and write down the goals you have for that child for the school year. Write down goals related to their health, behavior, and what strengths you would like them to develop. Write down any thoughts or ideas you have for that child. On the second page, write down any concerns you have about that child and anything that bothers you about the child’s behavior and label it Concerns. On the third page, write down all the strengths the child has and all the good things about your child and call it Strengths. On the fourth page, start writing down everything you need to do to get your child organized and ready for back to school. If you want an update on bedroom furniture, clothing, products (bins, storage, shelving, filing cabinets), or if you want to call about programs, mentoring, or counseling, write it all down and call Get Organized.

If you want to purge the kids’ clothes to make room for new clothes, or do a deep clean of closets or get under the bed, discuss this with your children and make sure they are ready for the task of preparing the room from the start. summer. Solstice Style for back to school ready. You may want to find a new hamper, organizational tools (label pens, black permanent markers, filing systems, software programs, programmers), or change the bedding. Old toys, books, and knick-knacks that are no longer used or loved can be donated to charity. Teach your children to give to charity. Help them get rid of items that are not age-appropriate so they don’t start picking and hoarding behaviors. Get your child involved so they know how to do this themselves at some point. Children need to be ready for the world when they leave home, so start preparing them now.

The old saying “Children should be seen and not heard” was a bad idea. Children must be taught to have a voice, especially when they return to a school environment with other children and adults (teachers). It is not surprising that other children and even teachers can be harmful to your children. Please don’t get me wrong on this subject, most people are loving and kind, but the news tells us that there are people who can and will do harm. Sit down with each child and discuss self-protection and create a concrete way for your child to assess normal from abnormal behavior towards and from others.

Sit down with each child to discuss the Rule, Responsibilities and Consequences and develop a chart on a large white poster board. Depending on the age of the children, the rules, responsibilities and consequences will vary. Each child has a separate table exclusively for them. There are two consequence columns so you can choose the one you want to have. This gives them some power in relation to the consequences. This chart lets your child know how the world works and as we know we have the ability to choose consequences even when we are in trouble with the law ie pay the fine or traffic school. The amount of time you will enforce an removal (consequence) depends on the age of the child. 5-9 (1 day) 10-14 (3 days) 15-18 (1 week). Once a consequence is applied, DO NOT reverse it. Reversing a consequence because a child throws a tantrum and/or argues should duplicate the consequence, not remove it. Removing a consequence once it is applied will actually reinforce the negative behavior. Remember that YOU are responsible for organizing and preparing your child for the world, not the teachers, coaches, friends, family, or even counselors. It’s YOUR JOB as a parent!

If you don’t have Rules, Responsibilities and Consequences in your home, your child will believe that this is how the world works and will be in for a rude awakening once they leave home. Not to mention, his life will be chaotic, confusing and wrong and he will miss appointments, due dates and be disorganized from the start. Do not cut out extracurricular activities, special occasions (birthdays/dances), field trips, allowance, as this will not only affect your child’s natural ability to socialize, but will also affect and punish other children who depend on them. stake.

Also keep in mind that if you are just employing new tools to keep your child’s life organized, it may be difficult and even laborious at first, but then it will become easier and easier as everyone gets used to it.

It may seem harsh and you may feel guilty for enforcing the consequences, but feel guilty and do it anyway!

Sample Table of Rules and Responsibility and Consequences

Rules
Curfew
Without speaking
No fighting/bullying
no curing
No drugs
No alcohol
no pills
no sex
without dropping out of school
Exchange
cooperating
Manners
Release
without lying
Do not steal

responsibilities

Cleaning the room without being told, regularly.
Do homework
do the chores
Taking baths/showers
set table
pick weeds
Take out the trash
Help when asked for the first time
listening
practice instrument

Consequences

(Carry)
no phone
There is no favorite jeans clothes
No desserts or favorite foods.
Nov
no computer games
don’t play with friends
Without makeup

Consequences

(Carry)
No talking on the phone/No texting
Without car
without leaving
previous curfew
stay home for the weekend
no favorite toy
with no friends