It’s a common situation for many parents of school-aged children: After any kind of significant break from class, it can be tough for some kids to get back in the swing of things. Luckily, there are several approaches you can take as a parent to limit these risks and help your child jump right back into it when the time comes, including when current summer break period comes to an end in the near future.
At Beehive Science & Technology Academy, we’re happy to provide numerous resources to both parents and children for our charter STEM programs, including everything from a school calendar to student handbooks, curriculum explainers and more. In this two-part blog series, we’ll go over some simple recommendations we often make to parents on how to re-engage their kids near the end of any major break, helping get them up to speed as soon as they enter the classroom again.
Start Talking About It
It may seem overly simplistic, but a simple and effective way of slowly re-integrating your child into the school mindset is to start talking about it a few weeks before classes are set to resume. If summer break is coming to an end, for example, begin asking your child about their favorite parts of the past few months and what they’re most looking forward to when school starts back up. This casual conversation can help kids start thinking about school again without putting any pressure on them, and it lets you gauge their level of excitement or apprehension about returning to class.
Be a Good Example
Especially for younger kids, parents serve as some of the most important role models in their lives. As such, it’s important to set a good example when it comes to getting back into a school-related routine near the end of a break. If you’re getting up early and starting your day with breakfast before heading off to work, for example, your child is likely to follow suit. The same goes for things like after-school activities, homework and bedtimes. Of course, every family is different, but try to stick as closely to a regular routine as possible in the weeks leading up to school starting back up again.
Get School Supplies
Another simple way to get your child excited about returning to school is to start gathering up their supplies well in advance. If they’re old enough, involve them in the process and let them pick out a new backpack or lunchbox that they’re excited about. If they’re younger, simply having all of their supplies ready and waiting for them can help give them a sense of anticipation for the start of a new school year.
In our next blog post, we’ll go over a few more tips to help parents get their kids back into the swing of things after a long break from school. Stay tuned!
If you’re interested in enrolling your child in one of our charter STEM programs, contact our staff at Beehive Science & Technology Academy at your nearest convenience.
