A big dive for parents and kids coming up—a new school year.
If you’re wondering how to help get your kids excited and prepared both physically and mentally, teachers at Mesick Consolidated Schools have some tips.
Junior High
Ann Abraham says there are two ways you can to help your stressed teen transition to junior high: talking about what they can be excited for, and going to the open house.
“I think that a lot of teenagers are excited to see their friends, so talking about how they are going to see their friends,” Abraham says. “Or a lot of teenagers are into sports, extracurricular activities, so talking about the things they are excited about getting back into school for, which gets them excited. And I think one of the most important things they can do to transition into junior high is to come to schedule release and get their schedule. Walk around, find their classes, come to open house and meet their teachers, it could be very intimidating for 6th graders to come up to the junior high here, so I think that’s going to be very important for them to walk through their classes and see where they are going to go each hour.”
Sleepy Kids
Getting your kids up early is not the easiest!
For another teacher tip to ready your kids, third-grade teacher Pam Manley has a helpful suggestion to keep your kids from feeling tired and sleepy on the first day.
“It would be nice to get them back into a routine with sleep-time,” she says. “You know, I wouldn’t say immediately get them to bed at school hour time, but slowly transition that in. Maybe wake them up a little bit early now and then, slowly as the summer progresses getting closer to the school year, get them ready for school by getting them on their regular sleep schedule.”
Mental Preparedness, High School
Making sure your kids have all the pencils, backpacks and clothes they’ll need for the school year is important.
But high-school Special Education Teacher Sanya Bottrall says a few more things that should be on your to-do list beyond getting the kids physically prepared.
“High schoolers or even some of the higher middle school, if they are working, make sure they are getting prepared at work to let them know to ease off on the schedule, if that’s something that they’re doing,” she says. “If they have a sports schedule coming up, be prepared to work around those things and make sure that you have a conversation at home or with someone that you talk to and just kind of figure out how you’re going to make your year better this year. Reminding them every year is a brand new year and every day is a brand new day and just talk about their worries and how to cope with that and get around that so they can feel confident when they go back.”
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