Not Your Average Back to School Article

It’s back to school time!…and I have a question for you…are any of you as tired as I am of (basically) the same “Back to School” article written every year in every type of parenting magazine, newspaper and blog? You know what I’m talking about…it’s the article that tells parents all your back to school problems will be solved if you:

1. Create a schedule for your family, and stick with it!
2. Pack your child’s lunch and lay their clothes out the night before.
3. Be diligent about making your child do their homework every day.
4. etc…etc…etc…

All helpful tips right? All common sense…and yet every time I read those articles I want to tell the author that of course I’M AWARE that if I pack my child’s lunch and lay out their clothes the night before it will theoretically mean tomorrow will run more efficiently! What I want to know is who is going to run to the grocery store at 10pm the night before school to buy the peanut butter and laundry detergent I forgot to pick up during my “regularly scheduled” shopping trip? And how am I supposed to stick to a schedule when my daughter Suzie has a dentist appointment on Monday and my neighbor decides to drop in for a “quick visit” that ends up lasting 2 hours on Wednesday? Sure, I can be diligent about making Tommy do his homework every day…if he could ever remember to bring his science book home! Don’t get me wrong. I think being prepared for school is great! In fact, I teach a school readiness workshop for parents of preschoolers on that very topic. I just have a different slant to the typical “back to school” article. So for the 98% of us who live in the real world, here are a few tips for having a great school year:

1. Make “to do lists” for your family (not to be confused with the inflexible “schedule”). Create a list of things that have to be done every day, and a separate list of things that should be done on a weekly basis. This list can include things like homework, chores, and appointments. Use a white board so that items can be added and erased depending on the things that need to be done that day. Offer a small treat if all the tasks have been completed at the end of the day, or a family movie night at the end of the week. If all the tasks do not get done, it’s OK. Use the opportunity to talk to your children about responsibilities and move on. Love them and encourage them, but if they do not complete the tasks, do NOT give them the treat, and the next day they will probably work harder.
2. Be spontaneous and creative. Learning should be fun! In our world of standardized tests and performance based funding for schools, I’m afraid we have forgotten that children love to learn when learning is fun. You want your children to learn more about science? Take them on a nature hike at one of the numerous beautiful state parks in our area. Is your child struggling with math concepts? Put down the flashcards and pick up a cookbook! Children LOVE to cook, and it’s a great tool for teaching basic math skills like adding, subtracting, fractions, and more.
3. Spend quality time with your child. There is nothing more important. If the choice is between snuggling with your child and reading a book, or packing their lunch the night before, you have my permission to use that “emergency lunchable” you have stashed in the fridge.