Publisher’sNote It’s time to head back to school! Summer literally just started and it seems that I blinked and school is back in session. I don’t know about your family, but mine would be grateful for another month of summer days. Swimming, hanging with friends, traveling and exploring were just some of the highlights of our laid back summer schedules. No rushing around to get to an appointment, activity or event. Instead, we filled the days and nights with family time, memories and more fun than we thought possible. But, all good things must come to an end. Sadly, we will put away our sunblock and floats and get our backpacks and study spots organized for another school year! I do love the downtime that summer brings, but my personality, and therefore our home, thrives on organization, structure and planning. This school year, my four children will be in four different schools. My oldest daughter is starting high school (I can’t believe I just said that) and my oldest son is headed to junior high (where does the time go?). The younger two will be ruling their schools (in more ways than one) as 5th and 2nd graders. Also, each one has after school sports and hobbies that start back in the fall too. To get ahead of what could quickly turn into chaos, I purposely plan and organize to create order that will help our days run smoothly. In this month’s feature articles, Beyond Burnout and Bickering and 3 Strategies for Academic Success, the authors give great ideas on how to start this school year on the right foot. Being disorganized and over-scheduled can be two main reasons why students have trouble transitioning from summer downtime to school focused. One suggested tip is to help your students write down assignments and projects on a calendar, where they can keep themselves reminded of the assignment, and to use their time wisely, as to not procrastinate. This organizational plan is easy to do in August and September and tends to fall by the wayside after Christmas break. For us, the staying on top of deadlines and maintaining order can become overwhelming by December, because of the added events we include on our already full calendar. Does your family feel the burnout by midyear too? This school year, my goals are to prioritize my own calendar and to allow for downtime. Let’s face it, most of the added activities in the fall are arranged and scheduled by mom or dad. Whether it is just one more music lesson, club at school or batting practice that gets put on the calendar, each one can quickly add up to more hours of activities. This can lead to burnout and stressed out students! Ask your children to make a list of their interests and to prioritize them. Help them choose what they would like to explore this school year and then stick to the plan. Don’t forget that there will be fall events and holiday fun coming up, so lead by example and only commit to the ones that are top priority. For me, we will not miss out on Auburn tailgating this fall and East Alabama Community Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker this Christmas. One of the best tips given this month is to factor in downtown for the family. Make it a priority. It is a time to spend together to reconnect and de-stress. Sunday dinner at the kitchen table can be just what the family needs to get ready for another week of tests or job deadlines and the afternoon hustle to after school activities. Don’t forget to check out our August calendar and the After School Activities Guide in this month’s issue. This is a great place to start with your kids, to help them find the perfect after school plans. Whether this year will be jazz classes or piano lessons, you will be sure to find something for everyone. From one parent to another, here’s to another successful school year in the making!
Kendra
kendra@auburnopelikaparents.com
Auburn Opelika Parents I August 2017
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Auburn Opelika Lee County’s Foremost Parenting Source
Auburn Opelika Parents Magazine is founded on the principle that parenting is an exciting, diverse, challenging, and significant role in our community. Auburn Opelika Parents Magazine is a community advocate for families and the parenting process.
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