Going back to school after the long summer is always a time of excitement. While your children may be overly excited or even a little bit worried about new teachers, new subjects and meeting their friends, the days before starting school again are always busy and stressful. Instead of rolling in to school with no plan, we have compiled ten tips that will help to keep organized, create routines and support children to be their best at school.

1. Use a calendar

Your children will be better prepared for school when they can visually see when school will start again. A good idea is to hang a calendar in their room and let them mark off each day with a colorful pen until the new school year starts.

2. Start bedtime routines early

Children will need some time to get back to the sleeping pattern that they had before the summer holidays started. In order to make it easier for the kids to be awake early in the morning, parents can introduce the school sleep routine two weeks before school starts.

3. Back-to-school shopping

Pick a date to go school shopping with your children. This date should be set and organized some time in advance to have a relaxed shopping experience. Choosing their own school supplies, clothes, a backpack or lunchboxes will engage children to take part in the activity and may increase their excitement about going back to school and using all the new things.

Copyright: FamVeld

4. Make the unknown environment more familiar

If your children are worried about the fact that they will start school in a new environment such as having a new classroom or being taught by a new teacher ask the school if you can go on a tour. Let your child see the new classroom and ask if it is possible to meet the new teachers. Going on a tour will help the kids to become more familiar with the new place. It is also a good idea to have a conversation with them about all the positive aspects at school such as their favorite subject and the activities they love at school.

5. Prepare lunchboxes and keep them easy

Studies show that pupils who have breakfast function better at school and have more energy. In advance, ask your children about healthy food that they like to take to school. Maybe your child likes particular fruits or vegetables which you can pack as well as a healthy sandwich.  You can also have a look at the school’s cafeteria and see if it offers healthy snack options.

6. Find a ‘go-to-school friend’

If your child walks or takes the bus to school and there are other children in the neighborhood who go to the same school talk to the parents and ask them if the kids can walk or take the bus together. This way the kids will have more fun on their way to school and may share their worries and help each other to feel more comfortable going back to school.

Copyright: Pressmaster

7. Talk about homework

Children who understand the topics at school properly have more fun at school. Usually, good quality homework is key to understand topics and achieve good grades. Review the environment where your child does his or her homework: Is it quiet enough? Is there enough space? Besides the environment, it is also important to think about activities and Internet or TV usage. Do your children have enough time to do their homework and are they not distracted?

8. Deal with expectations

Older children will already have set themselves expectations they want to fulfill at school. Therefore, it is helpful to ask them what they expect about returning to school. It can help to read a story about children who go to school in order to start the conversation and to make it easier for kids to talk about their feelings. It is also important to ask kids if they have any questions or are unsure about anything. Let them know that other kids will be nervous as well and that teachers will help them to feel more comfortable.

9. Show them that you think about them

When getting lunch or a snack ready for school include a little note in the lunchbox to show your kids that you care and that you think about them during the day even if they are away.

Copyright: Jes2u.photo

10. Child care after school

A parent should be at home to help the kids to get ready for school in the morning and who supervise them when they return. If this is not possible talk to your children that it is important to follow rules and listen to the adult supervising them.

Share your own stories, tips and back-to-school experiences with us.

The post 10 Helpful Back-to-school Tips for Parents appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.

How to “survive” the first week of school? Who do you think is more nervous: children or their parents? How to help your child remember these days in a positive way? How to prepare them to do well in school?

I’ve already experienced what it was like a few years ago, when my older son Stefan started school. This time I was prepared for another wave of emotions and excitement with my second son, Aleksa. He has just started the first grade.

A few days before the school would start (September 1st), I’ve received a notice from my kids’ school informing us about Aleksa’s teacher. It’s a standard procedure here in Serbia. We also received an invitation to attend the celebration of the first day of school, at 6 pm, it was written in the letter. In addition, it was suggested that all first graders bring some of the drawings to school, with their names written on a piece of paper. It was said that these drawings would be used as a decoration in the classrooms, and would also help teachers learn children’s names quickly. I really liked all of this, since it made us less nervous.

We got to know who was the new teacher, and we also had time to see if there were any of Aleksa’s friends from kindergarten and neighborhood in the same class (it was very important to Aleksa, since he wanted to be close to his buddies). On the other hand, I liked the idea about bringing drawings to the first day of class. They make the environment more familiar and comfortable for the children from the day one in the new classroom.

When the “action” finally started, my wonderful boy was just overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. He enjoyed his first day of school very much. I was so proud.

But, let’s not talk so much about my emotions and tears. I thought it would be more interesting if I write about some starting school tips for parents that helped me go through this experience.

1. KEEP CALM

The most important thing is not to make so much fuss about the first grade and school in general. Children fear the unknown, and constantly talking about it can make them feel even more afraid and worried.

2. BE PATIENT

It is useful to let your child know what’s coming, but try to be patient. I spent the whole summer discussing with my sons many important details regarding school. They have heard about classes: how long they usually last, when they have breaks, and how they can use them (for instance, I told them they would be able to play football in the schoolyard during 15-minute break with teacher’s permission). We talked about what they will be learning in each class, their homework and daily routine for school days.

3. BREAK THE ICE

They were happy to hear that they can play during the big school break; that they will have 5-minute breaks between the classes, and that PE and art are also some of the school subjects. They were not afraid of school any more. Quite the opposite, they couldn’t wait for the school year to begin. Children usually know little about school before they start attending it. Help them discover it in a positive way.

4. EVERYTHING’S NOT PERFECT

Don’t let your children think that everything will be perfect at school. This is one of the best tips I’ve got from my parents. Don’t tell them there will be no problems. Otherwise, they could be confused, not expecting somebody to push them or trip them on purpose., Maybe they will not know how to deal with someone they don’t like (or vice versa) if they are not prepared for such a thing. “Mum said that everything would be perfect, but now what’s this?” – try not to let them think like this, since they will be very much disappointed.

Instead of letting your children imagine school as an ideal place, try making them realize there would always be good and bad days, especially regarding the relationship with their classmates.

5. INTRODUCE THEM TO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Help your child prepare for school by taking them see the new school before the school year starts. Let them spend at least half an hour at school, in the schoolyard, to get to know the environment. Since we live near school, my kids did just that, and it meant a lot.

6. HELP THEM GET READY

Get them ready for school. Help them pack a school bag every day. Plan out what they are going to wear the night before. Take some time and read parts of their school books (so that you can get a general sense of what they will be learning). Protect the books and notebooks using plastic covers. Show your child how to pack books properly, how to sharpen a pencil… It’s vital you teach them all these things.

7. “STUDY HARD, BE NICE”

Teach them to study hard and to behave responsibly. The first grade is the time when students get adapted to a new school life and learn more about the things they are already familiar with. Therefore, now is the time to help them develop good study habits. They should learn how to sit still in class, and pay attention, as well as how to do their homework. It’s better to teach them these things when they are younger and more prone to learning. It can be much harder to change habits badly adopted once they get older.

Finally, show your child lots of love and support when starting school. They need to feel trusted and encouraged. So, give them a big hug and tell them:

“My precious schoolboy/schoolgirl, I love you more than anything else in this world.”

The post How to make the first days of school wonderful for kids? appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.