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Summer is quickly coming to an end and getting back into school routines can be challenging for kids and parents. Being a kid isn’t easy. At any age, facing the start of a new school year can feel overwhelming. Even kids who look forward to beginning new classes can feel anxious or self-conscious.Often these feelings manifest in moody or argumentative behavior. A parent who is aware and sensitive to these emotional shifts can give a child the tools to navigate complicated situations with confidence. Here are some ways to help everyone ease into a great school year.
3 ways to give kids a head start this year
1. Attend an orientation or back to school event.
These opportunities help get kids to get their summer minds back in the swing of school. Visiting an open house will help children get 
familiar with the locations of their classrooms and lockers. Even just knowing where the restrooms are located can ease their worries a bit. Some progressive districts even make school registration fun for the family. The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is hosting a Back-to-School ZooFari Saturday, July 20, from 10 am-2 pm at BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo. Be among the first 500 guests to mention this article and have your enrollment documents at the front gate and receive free admission to the Zoo for the day for the whole family. Head to the Capital One Pavilion to pre-enroll your child in an EBR School. Families will be entered to win great door prize drawings, get their faces painted and be able to interact with a few of the Zoo’s Ambassador Animals. Food and refreshments will be provided. To enroll please bring the child’s birth certificate, immunization record, parent/guardian ID and two current proofs of residence, withdrawal letter and last Report Card. Click here for more info.
2. Start asking the right questions: If you want to create a dialogue with your child about their life when they’re away from you, you have to ask questions that demand more than a yes-or-no answer. Parents quickly learn that if you want to find out what was happening in a child’s life, you have to be strategic. Simply asking, “How was your day?” isn’t enough. You’ll always get the same answer: “Fine.” The more you take an open and genuine interest in their time, the more likely they are to come to you when something troubling (like bullying or struggling with grades) happens. The best part is that you actually learn a lot about your children by asking these sorts of questions and may even open new ways for you to connect with them. Try these questions:
—What made you laugh today?
—What was the hardest part of your day?
—Tell me about a moment of kindness you saw today—even (especially) a small act.
—What’s one thing you can look forward to tomorrow?
3. Help them get organized. Don’t wait for school supply shopping to buy them a planner. Teaching children to manage their time is a life skill they will forever use. Start now—even younger children benefit from basic time-management skills like using a simple calendar organizer. Have them write in summer reading deadlines for themself, as well as track sports, camp and other family activities. Looking at their schedule on a calendar often helps visual learners to better frame and utilize their time. For an anxious person, this activity can be soothing, helping them to feel more in control of their world. Once school begins, their planner will already be their best partner—managing their assignments and extracurriculars with ease.
Click here to learn how the East Baton Rouge Parish School System is giving students the knowledge, skills and values necessary to graduate and become active, successful members of our dynamic learning community.
