The first week back to school is always exciting and a bit chaotic! Whether it’s your child’s first experience going to school, or your child is returning, it’s important to set up consistent habits that will stick throughout the whole school year!

Check out these 4 tips on making your child’s first week back at school a smooth experience:

1. Ask Specific Questions 💬

Picture this: your kiddos have been away at school all day and you can’t wait to get home and hear about what they did. You make
dinner, sit down as a family, and when you ask how their day went… your child responds with a simple “good” or “fine.”

Sometimes it feels as if getting kids to talk about their days at school is like pulling teeth. You might be surprised to learn that this is actually quite normal! Studies show that kids’ short-term memory affects their ability to answer the typical “how was school” question!

Try asking more structured questions and giving kids time to think about their responses. Here are a few questions you might ask instead:

• What is something that made you laugh today?
• What made you feel proud of yourself today?
• Did you talk or play with anyone new today?
• Is there anything that made you feel uncomfortable or nervous today?

2. Set Up a Communicative “Triangle” 🔺

A “Triangle” refers to the communication between the parents, the teacher, and the child. It’s important that parents and teachers are in communication with each other about the
child’s progress, but younger children are often left out of the conversation.

Make sure that all parties are involved when it comes to discussing your child’s needs, behavior plans, goals, etc. This not only helps your child to become invested in their own learning, but it also shows them that they have multiple adults in the community who care about them.

3. Behavior Management Plan 🏠

Behaviors that happen at home are most likely going to be carried out at school as well. This is why it’s especially important to have consistency between a child’s home environment and their school environment.

For example, if a child is in the habit of hitting a sibling or caregiver whenever they don’t get what they want, they will be more likely to do the same thing with schoolmates and teachers. It’s crucial for parents to teach children how to regulate their emotions when they don’t get what they want, feel upset, want to play with others, etc. This will help them to have more positive interactions with others at school!

No child is on their best behavior 100% of the time. In fact, many adults aren’t either! It’s normal for kids to have good days and not-so-good days. However, one way to practice managing behaviors is through roleplaying different situations that might come up during a school day. Practice roleplaying these different situations as a family, so that your child will be better able to recognize how to react and manage their behavior.

Of course, it’s always helpful to discuss any behavioral concerns with your “triangle” (as mentioned above).

4. Set Up an After-School Routine 🍇

The school day is quite draining, especially after a long summer of fun, play, and free time! It’s important that families set up an after-school routine to stick to throughout the whole school year. This helps kids set up positive habits around doing school work, having time to relax, and maintaining a healthy life.

Together with your child, plan out an after-school schedule that they agree to. Consider things like:

• Who will pick them up from school each day?
• What are their after-school snack options?
• How much screen time are they allowed to have?
• Is there a designated spot to do homework?
• Is there an extracurricular activity that the child
  participates in?

Once you have their schedule figured out, post it somewhere in your home so that your child can be directed to it if they aren’t sure what to do in the hours between school and dinnertime!

First Week Back to School and Lingokids 💙

Lingokids is the only educational app you need to help support kids with their academic journeys! Interested in learning more about Lingokids? Download the App and check out all the content on our YouTube channels. Looking for more back to school content? Check out our Back-to-School Parenting Handbook with support on preparation, habits, worries about school, educational support, and so much more!

How did you child’s first week back at school go? Let us know by tagging us on social media!