By this time, your child may be a little more excited about going back to
school, since friendships have been established, and school is an outlet for a
child to express independence. Now is the time in your child’s life where
you’ll have to grant more privileges and freedom, so use your best judgment when
helping your child to choose after school activities and social events to
attend during the school year. Letting your son or daughter do his or her own
school shopping this year is a great way to show them that you trust their
judgment and have confidence in their decisions.
Even though your child may be a little older, you should still make time to
discuss his or her concerns about returning to school. Although your child is
definitely used to going to school at this point and have established friendships
at school, the middle and high school years can be a very awkward time. Your
son or daughter may still be desperately searching for social acceptance, or
may be unsure about his or her talents and abilities, and you need to be aware
of this before the school year begins. Even though your child may rely heavily
on the suggestions of friends during this time in their lives, your feedback
still matters very much. Your son or daughter still needs your encouragement
and advice, so make sure that your child knows that you are available to talk
anytime during the school year, not just before the first day.
To keep your child focused on his or her studies throughout the year, make
sure that there is a quiet, well-lit place in the house that can be designated for
homework. You should also make sure that your computer is equipped to download
certain software that your kids will need to complete school assignments. Set
up a schedule with your son or daughter to determine daily homework time, so
that they will stay organized throughout the year.