August 20, 2007

Back to School

She has a baby in the shopping cart and two school-aged children walking alongside her. “Mom, can I have this one?” “Mom! Look! It’s a Spiderman lunchbox!” Mom sighs and glances down at the school supply list she is clutching. Yes, it’s back to school time and the school supply aisle at Walmart is so crowded I can barely maneuver my way down it. But I do because I love to observe the interactions of the families.

Making sure your children have all the necessary supplies is important. So is helping them adjust to a new school year. A couple of weeks before school starts implement a bedtime routine. Make plans for incorporating homework and study times into their schedules. Once school is in session, ask your child about their day at school. Don’t resort to the typical questions of “How was school today?” or “What did you learn in school today?” Instead you might ask, “What’s the funniest thing that happened at school today?”

Make a point of attending parent meetings, curriculum nights and open houses. You’ll be showing your child that their education is important to you.

By the way, I no longer have school-aged children. Observing family interactions is not why I was in the school supply aisle. The truth is that I love the smell of new pencils.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was always to excited to talk to the kids when they got home from school. Unfortunately I was working away from home, but that phone call was so important. I'll always remember the excitement in their voices.

Once in a while I would take the afternoon off and have fresh baked cookies in the oven when they walked in the door. Hope they remember that.

Pam Dyson, MA, LPC, RPT said...

It's the little things that make the best memories. I bet your children remember you baked them cookies.

SeattleSusieQ said...

I love the smell of new pencils, too. In fact, I love browsing office supply stores. Always have. :-)