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Many students that are home schooled or attend a private school are already working on assignments and attending classes. Most public school students will do the same within the week. What preparations have you made to accommodate this major shift from summer to fall?
Most students, even the ones with strict parents, get into a habit of staying up a little later during the summer and sleeping a little later too. If those sleep cycles are adjusted in the weeks leading up to the start of school, there is only a manageable amount of drama to deal with on the first day of school.
If you are lucky enough to have a freshman starting high school, the adjustment will be much harder to make. The relatively late start times for junior high schedules will be a major adjustment to the early start of high school classes. Even if you have done a good job over the past couple weeks with bedtimes and morning routines, school is exhausting. Your child will come home those first few days drained of all energy. The exception will be your football players, cheerleaders, band and drill teams who have been training in the hot Texas sun for weeks already. If I have left out any other dedicated student groups, please forgive me.
I will caution you that physical preparation for the new school year should not be your only concern. Students changing campuses or taking advanced coursework for the first time should be monitored closely for signs that they are struggling. Addressing an anxiety problem or making sure that confusing subject matter doesn’t overwhelm your child can help avoid an unpleasant situation down the road. Have contact information for your counselor and teachers where it is easily accessible. Also, find out how to locate tutors to step in if needed before confusion about a subject turn into bad grades. And, take a look at that student manual that your child brings home. The amount of helpful information there will astound you.
Lest anyone forget, there is a reason that we go through this madness at the end of each summer. Educated communities, states and countries produce leaders. Those who do not educate their citizens limit their ability to achieve success for themselves or anyone else. Begin helping your child make plans for what comes after high school. If you are unsure how to do that. Contact me, I can help.
