Tips for a Happy Start to the New School Year

    Summer is quickly coming to an end and it is time to prepare for the new school year. Here are some tips to help the new school year start off on a positive path.
–  Positive attitude is the key to start off the new year. It is important to state, “How can we make this school year great?” instead of, “Oh no, not school.”
–  Set realistic goals. Let your child set the goals. The parents’ role is to help guide their children in the right direction. Your child will be more likely to meet their goals if they are in control of making their plan. 
–  Set goals for grades for the first quarter. It is very important to start off with small, obtainable goals for grades to build self confidence. 
–  Meet the teachers. This is very important to your child. This is helpful to help prepare them for the first day and help you as a parent know whom your child will be seeing every day.
–  Organize all educational supplies. This will help the student feel confident and ready for the first day of classwork.
     Here are a few questions to ask when setting goals: 
1.Electronic time will be limited to how many hours during the school week?
2.How much time will be dedicated to learning at home daily? 
3.How much time will be dedicated to activities and sports during the school week?
4.What can be the highest grades possible to obtain in the first quarter?
4. How many days a week can you have dinner as a family for time to share?
    A new school year can be scary for many students. The thought of new teachers, new coursework, new friends, new classroom, etc. A new school year is full of change which many students have a difficult time with change. Having a plan will help easy the anxiety for the new year. Talk with your children about the upcoming changes. It is your job to find out their fears or concerns and help easy the transition with positive information. 
Stephanie de la Houssaye, LPC-S, NCC
Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor
National Certified Counselor