Practical Parenting

by Crystal Linn

 

Crystal Linn is a childcare expert and a professional writer. She is co-founder of
C and C Educational Consultants, a Bothell-based company that works with childcare professionals and also offers children's workshops and parenting classes. Crystal enjoys reading mysteries, writing poetry and sailing. She would love to hear from you at candceducationalconsultants@gmail.com or at (206) 715-2505.

Here it is August and time to think about back-to-school issues. Yet I am asking where the summer went - as I force myself to read the text books for my summer classes.

Back-to-school planning is a time when a child can be filled with intense emotions which takes much time and energy to deal with. In this issue I want to offer three suggestions to help make the transition from summer vacation to a new school year calmer. If you already know these tips, consider my thoughts a review, remembering we can all use a fresh reminder on occasion.

The three suggestions are:

Always plan ahead. Sit down with your datebook and, if possible with other adults in your home, decide when the important tasks will be accomplished. For example, when will the school shopping be done, how far in advance do you plan to put your child on a school schedule, and how will school lunches be dealt with?

Involve each child as much as possible. Involvement in planning/preparing gives any child a sense of ownership. This can reduce the amount of acting out in younger children and give older children a sense of pride and of feeling 'grown up.' The more an older child can do, the less you must do.

Remember your child's language limitations. The younger a child is, the less vocabulary that child has to tell you what s/he is feeling and therefore s/he acts out the emotions with behaviors. A good schedule with extra sleep and quality listening time seem to help with this issue. Be aware that an older child, who has the language skills, may feel shy about expressing his/her feelings. This is especially true for younger teens just entering middle school or high school.

I trust these suggestions will help make the transition from summer vacation to the new school year easier for you and your family.

To your parenting success,

Crystal

Community Corner:

North Snohomish County always has great things available for kids and families. Here are two more places to enjoy.

Alpacas of America 25525 Dahl Road, Arlington 360-629-6395

The Outback 10030 State Route 520 NE, Arlington 360-403-7474

Quotable Parenting Quote:

Parents have become so convinced that educators know what is best for their children that they forget that they themselves are really the experts. Marian Wright Edelman

Copyright 2011 Crystal Linn