September 2008 Newsletter Articles

Welcome back to a new school year! Tips for starting out on the right foot ~

Help your preteen create habits for a successful year in school

The beginning of the school year offers your child an opportunity to start off fresh. Help your preteen shine in class this year by establishing habits that will help her succeed in school and in life.

Make sure your preteen will:

• Get enough shut-eye. Preteens won't succeed if they're snoozing at their desks. So make sure your child gets to bed at a reasonable time each night. And have her unplug before lights-out. That means no TV, loud music or computer in the hour leading up to bedtime. Also, make sure her alarm clock plays soothing music. No one likes to be awakened by a loud, annoying alarm!
• Eat a healthful lunch. It's great that your preteen eats breakfast every morning, but don't forget about lunch! After all, she'll need the midday fuel. So send her to school with a nutritious meal--not a sack full of chips, cookies and soda.
• Use the right workspace. Be sure your preteen has a place to do her homework--a desk, her bedroom floor or the kitchen table. It should be quiet, comfortable and well-lit. It should also be as free from distractions as possible. Make sure it's stocked with plenty of paper, pens and pencils.
• Study ahead. Don't let your preteen get into the "cramming" habit! If she knows there's a test coming, remind her to review the material a little bit each day. This is much more effective than trying to memorize tons of material the night before an exam.

Working With Your School

Get involved with your preteen's school to improve achievement

As a parent, you play a critical role in your preteen's education. And one way to make sure that role is effective is to stay connected with his school. In fact, research shows that kids perform best when their parents are involved with the school and communicate with teachers.

To help yourself do just that:

• Meet your preteen's teachers. The beginning of the school year is a perfect time to introduce yourself to his teachers. It'll give you a chance to talk about your goals for the upcoming year. And if problems crop up later, you won't be going in to discuss them with a stranger.
• Get involved in school-related organizations. Join the PTA or help with a fundraiser. Not only will it benefit the school, it may give you a chance to work with some of his teachers outside of the classroom.
• Volunteer. You don't need to spend long hours in your preteen's classes to make an impact. Just pitch in when you can. If regular classroom time is impossible, how about volunteering once a month in the cafeteria? Or chaperoning a field trip in the spring?
• Attend parent-teacher conferences. These sessions are critical for learning about your child's progress, so don't miss them. If you can't attend in person, ask about having a telephone conference.

Reprinted with permission from the September 2008 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (Middle School Edition) newsletter.