Getting Your Child Excited for In-Person Learning Again
With the fall semester well underway, you might be excited for a return to in-person learning, but your child might need some extra encouragement. This may come in the form of new school supplies, such as clothes, a new laptop or a school bag.
However, school supplies can only go so far in getting your child excited for getting back to school. You don’t have to be reminded that staying at home has given children a sense of comfort and security that they simply don’t have at school. Changing environments and losing that level of comfort can be challenging for anyone, let alone children.
With how important education during these formative years in a child’s life is, you want to make sure they are as prepared and ready as possible to get back to school and succeed. Here are some tips to ensure your child has a successful year back at school with in-person learning.
Make Sure They’re Socializing
With a year (or more) having been spent learning at home, some kids may have difficulty socializing in-person again. Having a good circle of friends and being social is incredibly important to your child’s development, so look out for any signs of antisocial behavior or difficulties at school.
If your child is showing these signs, talk to them but don’t be intrusive. If they don’t feel comfortable saying something, trying to force it out of them will not help. Speak to their teacher as well, they’ll provide important insight about your child’s school life that you would otherwise be completely unaware of.
As a parent, one of your best resources for getting your child to socialize more is other parents. Get together with other parents from your child’s school and organize play dates or hangouts between both of your children.
Sign Them Up For Extracurricular Activities
One of the best ways to get your kids more excited about school and ready to get up every day is to get them involved in extracurricular activities. Whether this be a club or a sport, your child will have something else to focus on other than school. This can be incredibly beneficial for their mental health and social life.
Your child may be reluctant at first, but keep encouraging them to stick with it. Remind them that they’ll make friends and memories through extracurriculars that they will remember for the rest of their life. Don’t forget to get their insight when enrolling your child in any extracurriculars. You already know them, their wants and needs, but a parent can only know so much.
If they have expressed interest in any activities or sports, tell them that they should sign up and get involved. Support their drive to get involved.
Write Them Inspirational Notes
Your child has more than likely spent a large amount of time with you during the pandemic with remote learning. With them going back to school, they may feel separation anxiety and need a little encouragement to keep them going throughout their day.
To keep your kids motivated all day, consider leaving them encouraging notes in their backpack or lunchbox to help them make it through the day.
To make things simple, we’ve included a printable that will allow you to write your kids an inspiring, heartfelt message that they will love and appreciate. A simple message could be all that your child needs to get them through a tough day at school.
We’ve also included a printable with prewritten inspirational phrases and pictures that you just have to cut out and include in your child’s school supplies, no effort or writing necessary.
