Setting Up for a Successful School Year

It is finally here, school is starting! Here are some simple strategies to make this school year the best for your child.
 
Get Excited! 
By talking about and getting our child excited about school ahead of time, it will make the transition to school that much more enjoyable. Show on a calendar when school will start and start a countdown of how many days of summer are left. Discuss their new teacher, which friends will be in the class, and what things they will learn. Talking about these things ahead of time serves two purposes, as it eases any fear of the unknown and at the same time gets your child excited for the school year.
 
Give your child control with some aspects of school
Give your child a sense of control by letting them be involved in making decisions around some aspects of school. Take them back to school shopping for supplies and grocery shopping for snacks and lunch items. Have them organize their school supplies in their backpack and choose a first-day outfit. Let them pick what healthy options they want in their school lunch or for snacks.
 
Reach Out
Reach out to teachers and school staff when the school year starts and notify them of any concerns and questions you have. By reaching out to teachers and school staff when the school year starts, you are able to put everyone on the same team ahead of time so your child has a smooth school year. For example, if your child has a rough day at school will the teacher call you, email you, or send a note home? Would you like a daily report of your child’s engagement or just an end of week summary? 
 
I hope these strategies help your child have a fun, enjoyable and successful school year. Please email me at blog@goflowoccupationaltherapy.com if you have any additional questions.

See you soon!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L