Editorial: Prepare for heading Back to School

Published 2:00 pm Friday, August 2, 2019

With the new school year upon us, now’s a good time for students and parents alike to prepare for the year ahead.

Spark PE, a research-based group that provides programs for teachers and recreation leaders, has a few points of advice for parents that might help ease families back into the year.

Set up a bedtime and wake-up routine in advance, if possible

Even if class has already started, it’s not too late get a sleep routine going.

Sleep Foundation recommends school-aged children (6-13 years) get 9-11 hours of sleep a night.

For teenagers, the group recommends 8-10 hours.

Get to know new teachers

The beginning of the school year comes with a series of meetings.

Orientations.

Open houses.

Parent-teacher meetings.

Try to schedule and attend as many as you can with your child.

If you can, find a few minutes to talk to your kid’s teacher (or teachers) one-on-one.

If you and/or they are too busy, drop an email and introduce yourself, letting them know how to get in contact with you and how/if you can help throughout the year.

Plan healthy lunches and snacks

It’s easy to let this one slide as the school year goes on, but planning and preparation are key.

Plan out healthy, balanced meals and snacks—fruits, vegetables, proteins—to help power your kid through the day.

Organize clothing

It may sound like a small thing, but organizing your kid’s clothing at the beginning of the year can save time in the long run.

Getting rid of items they’ve outgrown will help you figure out what they need for the year.

And organizing what they’re going to wear the next day or the next week will save time in those early morning hours.

Set up a staging area

Dedicate a place in the house to school.

Use it to keep backpacks, outfits, coats and a calendar of upcoming events.

Any school related supplies can be kept here as well, along with healthy, grab-and-go snacks.

Update medical records

Make sure shots and shot records are up to date.

Provide teachers and administrators at your kid’s school with a list of any medical concerns your child has: allergies, emergency medications, emergency contact information.

Talk to your kids about bullying

The second best time to talk to kids about bullying is after it has occurred.

The best time to talk about it is now.

Make sure they understand how they should treat their fellow students and how they themselves should expect to be treated.

Also talk with them about speaking up if they feel they are being bullied or see someone else being bullied.

Ask your kids about their concerns

New school year, new teachers, possibly a new school—it’s a lot of take in for students.

Take a few minutes to talk to your kid about the school year: what they’re looking forward to, what they’re worried about.

Revisit it regularly throughout the year, helping them work through any bumps in the academic road as they go along.