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Use these 10 (not so usual) tips to make your back-to-school
season fantastic.
1. Look back to move forward.
What has your family done in the past for back-to-school season that
didn't work? Don't repeat something that doesn't work. Start with what
you don't like and either fix it or throw it out.
2. Plan.
Take out a sheet of paper and write down how you want your family life
to look. What activities, what attitudes will work best for your
situation? Then cut it back by 50 percent. Why? Because back-to-school
means back-to-crazy in too many households. Spreading yourself and your
family too thin means you won't be satisfied with anything
you've planned. Instead set yourself up for success.
3. Assemble your resources.
Do you shop for back-to-school supplies? Sure you do. Are you that
careful with the resources your family needs at home to get the job
done? A spot for homework. A place for the backpacks and papers. A plan
for meal shopping each week. An activities chart that everyone
contributes to. What about chore
charts? A well-run household is not an accident or
happenstance.
4. Accountability.
Don't wait for a failed grade on a report card before you or your child
takes action. Teach each other how to set simple goals and then stay in
touch, daily or weekly, about those goals. Celebrate successes and
watch the fun of learning how to produce achievement.
5. Use the buddy system.
If your kids fight you on doing homework, there are numerous things you
can do to 'motivate' them, but here's one that's fun, too. Start the Back-to-school
Homework Club. This can involve siblings or friends. Set up a
system that rewards getting the job done and I recommend making the
system elaborate. Lots of praise, small prizes, and a process that
includes building leadership as a child matures.
6. Schedule in the fun.
Make family time a regular weekly event. Take advantage of the many
back-to-school activities most schools have to transition from the
summer to the fall. Make sure family time doesn't get shoved to the
bottom of your priorities.
7. Live by lists.
I'm not kidding. I learned this when my teenaged daughter came to me
and said, "you know, it's a lot easier to do the stuff you want me to
do when you have it written down and I know when the list is done, I'm
done." Back-to-school time means your schedule is limited. Set
expectations clearly with well-written lists. Use planners for
homework, too.
8. If it's not broke, don't fix it.
Take a look at your household and take note of what really works. Study
it and figure out why. Then build upon it. Structure something that's
not going as well in the same manner and see if you can make some
headway.
9. Get to know the teachers.
This is easy when your child is in Kindergarten, but sometimes parents
think that high schoolers take less involvement. It's just not so!
Back-to-school means back-to-involvement. Some of the parent-teacher
conferences I've enjoyed the most have been for my high school seniors.
Finish your parenting job strong!
10. Listen.
Back-to-school season is generally characterized as a tad frenetic.
What usually gets lost in the shuffle is the one-on-one time that all
parents and kids must have. If you need to schedule 'listening'
on your planner, then do it (I do). You will alleviate most problems
before they start with an ongoing habit of listening, intently, to your
kids.
Back-to-school is a great time to evaluate all the areas of your
homelife, build on some, tweak others, and start new trends. It's a
wonderful opportunity to 'start fresh' each year.
Colleen Langenfeld is a mother with over 29 years of parenting experience and helps other busy moms around the globe at www.paintedgold.com.
Note from Colleen: Remember, I earn my living making excellent recommendations to you, Mom, so when you choose to click any of the links on this website and make a purchase, I may earn a commission.
Naturally, that means I care about what you think! If you try a product or service I recommend, I'd love to hear from you. How else can I keep my recommendations top notch for all my visitors?
And thank you, for stopping by.
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