By Juliet Rotondo
From kindergarteners stepping foot in a classroom for the first time to high schoolers completing their secondary education, all children are about to transition from the carefree days of summer to the more structured life of a student.
But that transition can be tricky for many kids, which is why local experts recommend not waiting until the night before school starts to get ready.
Everything from bedtime to homework routines can be prepped before the first day of school, said Val Eden, a Rye resident who provides homework help through Valerie Eden Tutoring Services.
After the unstructured days of summer, it’s helpful to start adding structure back to your kid’s life, Eden said. This can mean creating a regular sleep cycle by getting up early a week before school starts, preventing the slippage of literary skills by encouraging your child to read for at least 30 minutes a day, and completing a math review packet as school approaches.
Taking care of the physical needs of school helps with the transition, too. Create a “dedicated work space” separate from temptations like iPhones, Eden suggested. She also encourages students to use a daily agenda to track assignments, and to organize their papers using individual folders and binders in place of an easily disorganized accordion folder. Parents can help by letting the child “take the reins” when planning their routine and work space so the child feels they are part of the decision making.
“Each student will carve out a path that works for them,” Eden said.
Approaching homework strategically is important, but so is having the brainpower to focus on it. That requires adequate fuel, says Rye resident Malina Malkani, a pediatric nutritionist. Malkani suggests that families prioritize structured eating routines before school starts. Make family dinners a point of connection and calm amid the back-to-school hustle, she said, adding that family dinners lead to “better academic performance, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of risky behavior.”
Once school starts, Malkani said, make sure your child has a nourishing breakfast (for suggestions, see Breakfasts by Karen Schulz, p. B12). Make-ahead meals can make everyone’s day easier. Overnight oats and hard-boiled eggs are easy to grab and go, said Malkani. At school, packed or purchased lunches can work well, depending on a family’s needs. Either way, lunch should include “protein for muscle growth, whole grains for energy, calcium for growing bones, and a fruit and vegetable for vitamins and minerals,” she said. Kids are tired after school, and an afternoon snack can pick them up, she added, but it should “include foods from at least two food groups to provide a mix of nutrients without being overly filling.”
For families whose kids are busy with extracurricular activities after school, Malkani suggests a surprising tip: Serve a full “dinner” right after school to ensure kids have the fuel they need for afternoon and evening activities, then offer a lighter meal later on before bed.
While you’re thinking about good academic and nutritional routines, don’t forget about your child’s mental health. Rye social worker Carrie Donahue, who primarily works with middle and high school students, advises all parents to listen to what their children are expressing as the first day of school approaches.
“If parents start to hear any worry talk about the upcoming school year, the first thing to do is just validate the worry,” Donahue said. Worry is a natural part of any change or challenge, and parents can reassure young worriers by telling them that “it makes sense that [they] are worried about a new school, especially big transitions from elementary to middle, and middle to high school,” she said.
To help students feel more prepared, take advantage of school orientation if it’s offered, especially if your child is coming to a new school. Familiarizing themselves with the building before school actually starts can help ease anxiety. If students feel anxious about their performance in school, encourage them by “reinforcing work ethic, organization skills, focusing on what they can control — the amount of effort they put in” rather than their grades, Donahue said.
Some children struggle with the back-to-school transition beyond such short-term worries as “will I like my teacher” or “who will be in my class?” These are common experiences for a few days before kids settle into their routine. But if your students exhibit high anxiety year after year, Donahue suggests giving a heads-up to a school guidance counselor, social worker, or advisor.
“As someone who was a clinician in a school, I would want to know about it,” Donahue said. “It doesn’t mean there’s going to be any intervention, but to have eyes on the student would be important for me.”
With some preparation, students can feel mentally and physically ready for the new school year, and so will their parents.
