Back to School: top 7 tips for kids and parents
Summer is over and the holidays have come to an end as well. Very soon, Knowledge Day will be celebrated all over the world. Pupils will have many interesting projects ahead, as well as extracurricular classes. The time of acquiring knowledge is getting closer.
The new school year is often full of changes for both children and parents: a new school, a new class, new subjects, maybe different teachers, etc. These changes are sometimes exciting and sometimes scary.
Therefore, it is very important for parents during this time to help their children overcome doubts and dispel fears. I know one family where a child did not want to move from the fourth to the fifth grade just because he heard that there would be such a subject as geography and other new subjects with names unfamiliar to him. This frightened the boy to tears but his mother reacted to these childhood fears with great attention and explained everything very well to him.
But it does happen that in such a situation, parents are lost and make mistakes. In order to avoid them and join the learning process without stress, our team has prepared some tips for children and parents that will allow them to study and spend their leisure time more productively.
1. Set new goals for your child
The new school year is a good opportunity for intellectual and spiritual growth. This is why planning and goal setting are so important. Set achievable goals: learn five new words of a foreign language every day, become neater, improve your handwriting, etc. Let the child write them on a piece of paper with you nearby.
2. Family time
Set aside time to interact with your child. Even if you are very busy and tired at work, be sure to be interested in his studies and leisure. This is necessary for both mother and father. Be interactive. There is no substitute for parental control and supervision. Your children need your presence more than your gifts.
3. Do homework together
Do not do homework for the children, rather do it with them! The child needs to feel support and understanding. So be patient and in no case raise your voice to the child. It may lead a child into a state of stress and hatred for lessons and learning in general. Avoid watching TV and using gadgets until the lessons are done. Check your child’s diary regularly, as the teacher uses it as the primary link between you and the school.
4. Daily routine
Make a plan for each day with your children. Get your child involved in the little things like serving dinner, putting clothes in the closet, shining shoes, etc. This teaches children responsibility. Gently explain to the child that if he plans his day from the very beginning until the moment he goes to bed, it will provide him with order and success in all matters.
5. School uniform and stationery
Make sure that the school uniform of your child is religiously compliant. If your children are facing resistance from an educational institution regarding their dress or other Islamic practices, be diplomatic and respectfully and politely discuss and resolve the matter with the school authorities.
Also, make sure you get all the necessary office supplies. Pay special attention to the covers of notebooks, sometimes they contain immoral drawings and photos, which is unacceptable. Buy beautiful pens, diaries, notebooks for children to make the learning process easier and more enjoyable.
6. Keep an eye on the quality of your child’s nutrition
Studies show that people who do not skip breakfast improve concentration and muscle coordination. Therefore, make sure the child has a good and healthy breakfast before school. Children need healthy snacks to keep their blood glucose levels up as it helps them focus. Put healthy goodies in your child’s lunch boxes every day. Eliminate carbonated drinks, chips and chocolate; find a healthy replacement for them via fruit drinks, dried fruits and nuts. It will be great if you plan in advance the menu for your child for the week.
7. Do not ignore the spiritual lessons
Just as it is important to acquire secular knowledge, man has no less need of spiritual knowledge. Make sure your child completes the obligatory prayers on time, and include Islamic lessons in your homework as well. This can be memorizing hadiths, the Arabic alphabet, educational Islamic tales, etc.
Learn to listen to the child without interrupting, as well as exclude shouting and swearing while talking to children. Eliminate didactic intonations in your voice, replacing them with an affectionate address. Never try to win an argument with your children, but on the contrary, become friends. Such relationships strengthen trust and love between parents and children, and as a result, you have a warm atmosphere in the family, fruitful studies and good grades!
