Top 7 Back to School Pointers for Parents
Taking Good Care of Moms, Dads & Kids
During the Back to School season, it is easy for us to focus on pens and pencils, notebooks and binders, new outfits and new sneakers, and to forget about the things that are truly important and which will have lasting value for many years to come.
Below are 7 key pointers for parents to consider as they prepare to send their children back to school.
Think beyond the upcoming school year and take hold of a vision for all the ways in which you want to see your children grow and develop when ALL the school years are over. (It’s never too early to take this first step).
Spend some time reflecting on the last school year (or just the last year if this is your child’s first year in school) and, based on what you know about your child and your own family context, make a list of things you want to do as a parent this year to support your child’s overall development.
Write down the concrete steps that you will take to meet the parent-child development goals you came up with in No. 2, and share this list with your spouse, a friend, or an accountability partner.
Remember that each child in unique so commit to an individualized parenting approach; you are not parenting your niece, your nephew, your neighbor’s child, or even your older or younger child for that matter.
You want to focus forward, not backward, but, nonetheless, consider how parenting has supported your own personal development in the past and prepare yourself for the new lessons you will learn and the new ways in which you will grow as an individual and as a parent this school year.
Get your room, home, office and other critical spaces organized and prepared to support your new parent-child development goals.
Relax and think about one capstone fun activity you can do with your child to wind down the summer.