Back to School! We’ve Done Our Homework.

For families with young children, going back to school can involve a myriad of emotions. There’s excitement, fear, exhaustion, and a dozen others, and these just affect the PARENTS! Just imagine what a young child is worried about.

Plus, if the child is attending a new school, there’s even more anxiety involved. Fortunately, after a few years at this “game,” kids get over the jitters and get into the jammin’ with their buds. For the younger kids, there are some time-tested tips for parents who want to ease their children back to school.

Six Tips to Make the School Year Rock

According to this excellent article on starting the school year off right, “As summer comes to an end and back-to-school season begins, it can be hard to get back into the rhythm of a regular schedule — for both kids and adults. The trick, of course, is to plan and make sure you have a solid childcare plan in place.”

Educators and child psychologists suggest that parents and kids follow these six tips. As you’ve probably heard, it pays to plan the work and work the plan!

#1 Prepare mentally

This involves setting kids’ sleep schedules back to “school time” two weeks before the first day of school, discussing what your kids can expect on the first day of school, and talking openly with your kids about their feelings about returning to school.

#2 Put time and schedule management plans in place

The experts featured in this article suggest that you “help your kids put together a rough outline of their school and activity schedules, create a family calendar that tracks everyone’s activities and commitments and set up weekly meetings to review your kids’ schedules for the week(s) ahead.

#3 Plan for before- and after-school hours

For families where both parents are employed “before and after” school hours can be tricky. It is suggested that families:

• Have a backup transportation plan in case your kids miss the bus.
• Get your kids involved in programs they can do after school to keep them active.
• Keep track of existing extracurricular activities to prevent overscheduling.
• Refresh your rules about screen time for the school year. What’s allowed and when?
• Work out an after-school schedule that allows time for snacks, relaxation, play, and study.

#4 Do everything you can the night before

This involves such things as Encouraging kids to lay out their school clothes before going to bed, having them pack their school bags, and making sure any bags, equipment, or must-bring items are left by the door.

#5 Devise a plan for homework

This can involve establishing a specific space like the family office as an official “homework station.” It is also advisable to Remove distractions like TVs and video game consoles from homework areas.

#6 Stay connected with teachers

Everyone is busy but having a consistent dialog with teachers is critical to fixing academic problems before they get out of control.

Northstar Schools: Just North of Excellence

The kids who live in the master-planned community of Northstar have an advantage that many other kids might not have. They get to attend The Northwest Independent School District, which is one of the best in the region.

According to the well-known school rating service “Niche,” Northwest Independent School District is “a highly rated, public school district located in Justin, TX. It has 24,141 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. According to state test scores, 59 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 60 percent in reading. Overall, the school district has earned an ‘A’ rating.”

The school system is also well-respected for its extracurricular activities, including sports, music, and special interest organizations and clubs.

Click here to check out the Northwest ISD schools that Northstar kids attend.

You Gotta Have Friends!

Because of its convenient location – near work centers such as Alliance Airport and world-class cultural centers in Fort Worth – Northstar is extremely popular for young families. This means one BIG THING for kids who live here. They will have LOTS of friends! It’s hard to put a value on this factor, but kids who have friends tend to do better in other things, like school!

For more information on Northstar, just click here. We’ve done our homework so your kids can more effectively do theirs.