Henderson Schools Guide: Good habits for back-to-school

As millions of parents cheer, and millions of students sigh, it is indeed time to go back to school here in Henderson. So many families start the new year with the best of intentions, but somehow these get waylaid along life's path. Between work, activities, homework assignments, training and all life's other commitments, how can we make this year better than the last?

Here are some concrete, tried-and-true suggestions:

• Set up a large monthly calendar for each child (and each adult, if you like) on their bedroom wall to record dates that assignments are due, times of lessons or activities, special school events, etc. Check that everything is listed for the first month or 2. Your child should keep it up to date and highlight each type of event in different colors, or use different colored sharpies to enhance the calendar. They can even mark when library books or appointments are due!
• Set a time for homework. Stick to it. Make sure it's completed before your child wanders off to the siren call of the television, game system or cellphone. Make sure you set a good example by having your assignments and proposals, etc. completed in a timely manner. Don't let distractions get in the way!
• Keep a whiteboard in the kitchen so you can record lessons and activities. Clearly record who will be responsible for bringing which child to their events or programs. Who will pick them up? Go over it every morning. Make life easy - prioritize!
• Check the CCSD parent link to make sure you are up-to-date on everything. Sometimes children "forget" intentionally or not, to tell you things. This is your help line! You can even check your child's homework assignments on this site!
• If your child needs to bring a lunch to school, have them help you prepare their lunch as you prepare your own, the night before. That way you won't be as rushed in the morning. Make sure everyone gets up early enough to get moving. I know this is tough, but it's the only way to keep from getting frazzled. 
• Your child can set out 2 outfits to wear the next morning, each night before bed.They can decide on the one they want to wear when they get up and get dressed. This eliminates rooting around in the closet (or laundry) looking for a particular shirt or pair of pants. You may want to get into this habit yourself! The same goes true with placing items in a backpack, ready to go for the next day. Eliminate any frantic searches in the morning.
• Set a time for bed and make sure your child goes to bed. Give them a bit of time to unwind by reading, or read them a story if they are young. But it's nix on the television viewing in bed after lights out, and no game systems,computer ipod or texting after lights-out during the school week. Bed time is for bed! If you are consistent, children will have to respect this (eventually). It would help if you would come up with a routine for yourself, too. Once again, a good example goes a long way!
• Make sure your child eats breakfast, unless it's served at their child care facility or school. If they eat at home, you can guarantee that they have at least eaten something. You don't know what goes on outside your home. Ditto the bedtime snack. A bowl of cereal or other healthy snack can help your child fall asleep more easily.
• Don't make dinner a time for grilling children about their day. Casually discuss your day and ask if anything interesting happened, but don't press your child. Dinner should be an enjoyable time to relax after the stress of the day. 
• As the saying goes "don't sweat the small stuff." Sometimes we get so focused, as adults, on the petty things that we forget to look at the big picture. If your child doesn't get 100% or an A, did they at least improve from the last test? Ask if you can help them, or what they feel they can do to improve. If your child doesn't make the team, or isn't chosen for a part in the school play or choir, ask if there's another way they'd like to help and suggest ways in which they can join in rather than just watch from the sidelines. Be a mentor, not a coach!
• Don't over-book your child. Some parents want their kids to participate in everything, and some children feel that they have the right to participate in absolutely every activity they see. Let them make choices and prioritize. What they don't do this term, perhaps they can do the next session. Set limits and boundaries. 
• Let your children know that you have confidence in them and know they will do their best. And see to it that they do, to the best of their abilities. This is one of the best gifts you can give a child.
• If they want something special, let children earn it with chores or other responsibilities. Keep a "chore chart" and reward them when you have reached a milestone. Cleaning their room, doing the dusting or vacuuming, stacking the dishwasher, helping grocery shop and putting away items, raking the grass or shoveling snow, feeding and grooming their pet and cleaning up its cage or box, folding their clothes. The possibilities are endless and will allow children to "earn" things. This can help them learn to budget and once again, prioritize what they need and what they want. It's important to know the difference! This is very old-fashioned, but still works. When they are older, they will have to work for the things they want. Now is a good time to learn that lesson.