Last week, Maranda asked me to come on her show to share back to school tips for parents. Because I believe that the way parents talk with their children about going to school makes a difference, I was excited to share some important tips about school preparation.
As parents, you know that every child feels differently about going back to school. Their feelings can be 
one or ALL of the following: excited, worried, nervous, happy, scared and/or sad. It’s important to understand that your child will have these same feelings again when they start their first job, head off to college and step into their first career field. If you guide them on how to prepare for school (and the schedule, responsibility changes that come with it), you are modeling strategies that they will be able to take into adulthood.
My first best tip: Recognize the many emotions that come with going to school. If your child is worried about going to school or the unknowns of school (how much homework, friends, etc.), listen and know what to say. It’s key that you help them feel safe to talk about their worries and provide support to calm them. Here are some additional helpful links:
- Top Parenting Tips for Parenting an Anxious Child
- 15 Ways to Calm an Anxious Child When Words Don’t Work
- Calm the Chaos | The Secrets to Calming an Anxious Child
Next, make the new schedule and routines visual. I shared some visual schedules on Miranda (and in welcome emails to K parents). Lemon Live Adventures is site that also has ideas for Creating Visual Systems that Work for Your Child. My sample below is typed…but schedules can be very simple —hand written is just fine!
Finally, stay in communication with your child’s teacher if your child has concerns about school. We are here to support you and your child and we want to help to make the adjustment to the routines as smooth as possible.
In closing, I have to tell you that my time on Maranda was one of the best adult field trips I have had in a while. I was able to watch a segment being filmed prior to my interview and I was struck by the tight management of the entire team – production (all levels), director, film crew and Miranda. This crew is all about making the interview comfortable, professional and fun. Maranda uses the in between time to get to know her guests — and simultaneously pays attention to the camera crew and clock so she can be back on camera at a moments notice. Before I knew it, my segment was done and I was headed out the door.
Back to School Tips with Maranda
@marandatv
