The Fourth of July has come and gone, and the school supplies are out in the stores. Are you or your child having stomach aches already, just thinking about going back to school? Starting a new school year doesn’t have to bring stress to the family.
Here are a few tips to make the transition to school easier for everyone. First, try to determine why going back to school brings on stress for you or your child. This can be a hard nut to crack, particularly with a young child. Does your child have learning differences which could be causing stress in the classroom? For instance, if your child is struggling to learn to read or to understand what he reads, he may be dreading being asked to read aloud in class. Perhaps the teacher would be willing to not call on the child to read aloud, or to assign a passage ahead of time so he can practice before reading in class.
Your child’s stress may not be related to academics at all. Perhaps he’s heard rumors that the teacher is just like “the Swamp” in Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard. Perhaps the child experienced bullying last school year and fears a repeat this year. Ask the parents of some of his classmates if their children are reporting any bullying or other stressors. Perhaps the move from elementary to middle school has the child worried.
Second, take a look at how many after school activities your son or daughter does. If she goes from school to soccer practice to ballet to guitar lessons, then home for a late dinner and homework, it may be more than she can handle. Consider how you’d feel if you had that much to do every day after work. Try limiting after school activities to one per day, or less if possible.
Third, could your homework routine use a tune-up? Provide a quiet place without TV or video-games. Some students work best with some background noise, so consider soft music if silence is too distracting. Even the hum of a fan can help. Does the child have the tools she needs, like pencils, paper, a dictionary? Are you close by if she needs help?
Lastly, if you and/or your child are experiencing back to school stress, perhaps the current school is not meeting your needs. Consider switching schools if possible. Even better, consider homeschooling! No teacher, no matter how dedicated, will ever understand your child as well as you do.
If you need help getting started, or you want the support of a teacher to help, consider eLearning. We can provide curriculum and support to help make learning a pleasant experience, not a cause for stress.We provide on-site services at six learning centers, and Internet based homeschooling no matter where you live.