How to reduce back-to-school anxiety

As students in Florida are returning back to school today and tomorrow adjusting to a new schedule and different activities can cause unnecessary problems without the right preparation.
Here are 6 tips to reduce back-to school anxiety:

1. Parents should clear their schedules for the first week of the new school year. Postpone business trips, volunteer meetings, and other projects so that you can help your child acclimate to the school routine.
2. Prepare lunches the night before to avoid rushing out of the house in the morning.
3. Instruct your kids on how to set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning. Praise them for prompt response to morning schedules and bus pickups.
4. Pin an index card with important information to your child's backpack or clothing, including their teacher’s name, bus number, as well as your daytime contact information.
5. Communicate frequently with your child’s teachers. Let the teachers know that you are interested in getting regular feedback on how and what your child is doing in school. Be sure to attend back-to-school night and introduce yourself to the teachers. Find out how they like to communicate with parents (e.g., through notes, e-mail, or phone calls). Convey a sincere desire to be a partner with your children’s teachers to enhance their learning experience.
6. Familiarize yourself with the other school professionals. Make an effort to find out who it is in the school or district who can be a resource for you and your child. Learn their roles and how best to access their help if you need them. This can include the principal and front office personnel; school psychologist, counselor, and social worker; the reading specialist, speech therapist, sign language interpreter, school nurse; and the after-school activities coordinator.

The right preparation will eliminate many potential problems before they arise and helps your child start the new school year on a positive note.

Source: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/home_school/b2shandout.aspx

12 easy back to school tips for parents and kids

Here are 12 tips to ease the back to school transition for parents and kids:

1. Schedule doctor and dental checkups. 
2. Review the material sent by the school as soon as it arrives. These packets include important information about your child’s teacher, room number, school supply requirements, sign ups for after-school sports and activities, school calendar dates, bus transportation, health and emergency forms, and volunteer opportunities.
3. Mark important dates, especially back-to-school nights. This is especially important if you have children in more than one school and need to juggle obligations. Arrange for a babysitter now, if necessary.
4. Make copies of all your child’s health and emergency information for reference. Health forms are typically good for more than a year and can be used again for camps, extracurricular activities, and the following school year.
5. Buy school supplies. 
6. Re-establish the bedtime and mealtime routines. Prepare your child for this change by talking with your child about the benefits of school routines in terms of not becoming over-tired or overwhelmed by school work and activities. Include pre-bedtime reading and household chores if these were suspended during the summer.
7. No TV for breakfast. Television is distracting for many children, and your child will arrive at school better prepared to learn each morning if he or she has engaged in less passive activities.
8. Visit the school with your child. Meeting the teacher, locating their classroom, locker, lunchroom, etc., will help ease pre-school anxieties and also allow your child to ask questions about the new environment. 
9. Check with your school to confirm dress code guidelines. Common concerns include extremely short skirts and shorts, low rise pants, bare midriffs, spaghetti strap or halter tops, exposed undergarments, and clothing that have antisocial messages.
10. Designate and clear a place to do homework. Older children should have the option of studying in their room or a quiet area of the house. Younger children usually need an area set aside in the family room or kitchen to facilitate adult monitoring, supervision, and encouragement.
11. Designate a spot for your children to place their school belongings as well as a place to put important notices and information sent home for you to see. Explain that emptying their backpack each evening is part of their responsibility, even for young children.
12. Freeze a few easy dinners. It will be much easier on you if you have dinner prepared so that meal preparation will not add to household tensions during the first week of school.

Source: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/home_school/b2shandout.aspx