Getting Kids Ready for Back to School

WASHINGTON - It's back to school time which means it's time to get your kids thinking about school again! It's a tough adjustment from summer vacation to school mode, but Reina Weiner, the author of Strong From The Start, Raising Confident And Resilient Kids, shares some of her tips on how to get them ready for school stress-free.

How can I encourage my kids to get ready for school, on time, by themselves and begin my day stress-free?

• Schedule a family meeting, kitchen table meeting a week before school begins.
• Bring paper and pencil or laptop and ask the children what they can do to get ready for school, on time, by themselves.
• Take notes
• Allow their reasonable, age appropriate choices...when to shower, what time to wake up (you may have to help them decide), clothing choices, nutritional breakfast choices that they can "prepare" (help themselves to), make or buy lunch, get their book bag ready.
• Rehearse several times before school begins. Modify as necessary. Practice makes perfect.
• Be available (a parent/guardian) to help when required, but don't do it for them.

What essential message will you be sending to your children?

• "We love you, we're here for you and we know you can do it."

When is a good day to begin raising competent problem solvers and self - assured decision makers?

• Today.

LINK: http://reinaweiner.com/