Parenting Corner

an excerpt from Andrew Mullen’s book, Middle Schooled. Hello Parents!

I don't know about you, but my children have been so eager for the start of school! You can only sleep in, spend time with friends and family and enjoy life to the fullest for so long. It gets old. The kids keep saying things like, “School is awesome! I am so excited to open the gift of education each and every day,” “The birds sound so pretty at 5:00 in the morning” and “I love homework more than my Rainbow Flip Flops and Uggs.” Seeing the bus lights coming down the road on a foggy morning produces a giddy euphoria in the children akin to past reported sightings of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer…

The start of school can be crazy and stressful for families. Below are a few tips and reminders that might help to make the transition back to school a little easier:

Reestablish the daily routine: Bed time, dinner time, wake up time. These all need to be slowly brought back from the summer time “do what you want when you want” routine. The homework is going to start pouring in. Make sure they have a quiet place to do their work and that they are managing their time properly. Encourage them to put their phone in a different room while they are working. Removing technology from your child one hour before you actually want them to be asleep can be extremely helpful. Make sure they have whatever school supplies are needed. My family went to Staples Sunday night before school started. I was able to wrestle the last pack of mechanical pencils from an elderly woman, so it all ended well. In the future, we may choose to make these purchases in advance…

Talk to your kids. Even though they may not answer in complete sentences or even make eye contact, don't give up! The kids need to know you are interested in their school day. Be optimistic about the start of school. We all know it's tough but stay positive in a realistic way. Remind them about the things they enjoy about school. Friends, nice teachers, tater tots, the smell of the hallways on humid days. (After 16 years I finally figured it out. The smell when the kids come in from recess period is room temperature Italian deli meats mixed with red on-ion, Axe Body Spray and unkempt recycling bins.) Plan healthy dinners ahead of time. If you can make some dinners over the weekend and freeze them, even better. I am happy to share some of my recipes upon request.

If your middle schooler is annoying you, consider buying them #3 pencils (you may need to mail order these from

Canada) and folders with puppies on them. Middle school is like space travel in many ways. If your child's heat tiles fall off upon reentry to school, please ask for help! Good Luck!

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

Back To School Safety Reminders

When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school. Slow down and be alert. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.

Learn the flashing signal light system that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:

Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.

Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again. When you meet or overtake a stopped school bus with red signal lights flashing and stop MUST STOP.arm extended, you When you approach an intersection where a school bus is stopped with red signal lights MUST STOP.flashing and stop arm extended, you

MUST STOPYou at least ten (10) feet away from the school bus.

MUST WAITYou until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm has been withdrawn before moving. DO NOT MOVE until all the children have reached a place of safety.

PENNSYLVANIA’S SCHOOL BUS STOPPING LAW

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE

PENNSYLVANIA’S SCHOOL BUS STOPPING LAW

KNOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES 1.5 million children are transported on Pennsylvania roads each day. These children are transported more than 346 million miles to school each year. Every year, children are needlessly injured or killed by drivers passing stopped school buses.

You on roadwaysMUST STOP with painted lines. MUST STOPYou at an intersection, whether it is or is not marked with a stop sign. All traffic stop.MUST You on roadways

MUST STOP with ridged/grooved dividers.

PUB 97 (9-11)