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Jump Starting the School Year
Tips for a Smooth Transition
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
Dr. Paul Coleman, psychologist, says that in reality, exactly the opposite is true. "In order to be the kind of parent that kids will feel free to talk to or ask for advice about any exposure they have had to drugs, alcohol, sex or violence, you must be able to approach your child and discuss your views and thoughts on the subject," he says. "Otherwise, a child may believe that you don't know, you don't want to talk to them about it or you don't care, and they will be afraid of coming to you because they don't know how you will react. Parents must teach appropriate ways that kids can say no to peer pressure, and that can only be done by talking, talking and talking. And after you've talked with them about it, leave the lines of communication wide open so you can talk to them about it again or they can come to you."
A child's interest and excitement can be overwhelming the first few days of a new school year. It is very common for a child to come home and talk excitedly about his/her new friends, new teacher, new subjects and new interests. But as the days turn into weeks and months, the excitement seems to fade – and may turn into dread. How can a parent keep a child's interest going in school after the "newness" wears off?
It is not always easy to keep children's interests alive and thriving and keep them participating and studying, but according to Pieper, a child's interest may be fading as the parent's does. "Children often take part in activities or programs simply because they are trying to please their parents," says Pieper. "So it is not a surprise that when a parent becomes tired of driving to practices, sitting at games or at recitals, that the child's interest dwindles as well. One of the easiest ways to keep a child's interest and level of participation in any area – whether sports, studying, music or otherwise – is to allow for a break from time to time. Take a weekend off, take a day to do something else, and do it as a family. This allows the child, and the parent, to come back to the activity with a renewed sense of excitement."
