Secrets To A Successful School Year

This year is a hallmark for my husband and I. All of our kids are now in school (cue the *fist pumping*) and this means that I get six whole hours of time to get work done and pee by myself. It also means that I am forced to be organized, which is not my strongest area. It has taken me seven years of learning and mistakes to get this whole “successful school year”  thingy right. Lucky for you, I’m going to share my trade secrets. I’m not even going to charge for them, because I’m generous like that. The following is a list of things that have made school year survival and (dare I say) success fully achievable…even with a large brood. I added some of my personal notes, marked by asterisks and even some links to “Kadi approved” resources.  Enjoy!

• State your expectations before the year begins. Don’t expect them to read your mind. They can’t, which is a good thing some days.
• Have the kids set goals for the year. Make a goal chart or vision board for each of them and hang it in their room. This helps the child remember what the ultimate goal is when they are having a rough time. *Side note: Maybe the goal is to get B’s or better on their report card. Decide what the reward for reaching that goal is and put a picture of it next to the goal.
• Create a daily TO DO list and post it where your family hangs out the most. (Ours hangs in the family room and is written on a dry erase board. My boys need a visual reminder and lots of verbal ones, of what needs to be done each day.) Keep it simple.
• Set out clothes (AND SHOES) the night before. *I cannot tell you how many times we have been late because of a lost shoe.
• Get up before your kids. This allows you to collect your thoughts, coffee up and pray for patience. No joke. I pray A LOT.
• Keep a multi pocket folder for your use only. Label each pocket with a different kid’s name where you can keep their class reminders and things that are unique to their class or activities.
• Use Cozi.com to keep your family organized digitally. This place is a sanity saver, I tell you. And? It’s free. You’re welcome.
• Line up lunch boxes on one shelf or store in one drawer. Keep a stack of paper bags in case one kid leaves their lunch box at school. Take out lunch boxes right after coming home and store ice packs in the freezer right away. *When I have trouble remembering this, the kids whine about not having a frozen ice pack. Less whine= better morning.
• Pack healthy food.  I am a junk foodie by nature, but when it comes to my kids’ lunches, I know that they are going to need brain food instead of processed foods and empty calories. *It is so tempting to buy pre packaged stuff to save time but their little bodies and brains need protein and smart calories to function properly. The teachers will thank you as well.
• Pick your battles. I had to learn to let go of some control over their wardrobe choices and hair styles. In the grand scheme of things, is it worth the fight? Probably not. *And who cares what the other parents think of your child’s decision to wear rain boots and a cape to school? If that is your big concern, you’d be better off getting over it now.
• Keep a list of teachers’ phone numbers, email addresses, Twitter handles (if they have them) and other contact info, where you can find it. I suggest putting it in on the folder pockets for safe keeping. *I always attempt to have regular contact with teachers. It makes life so much easier on them and you.
• Allow some down time before homework. (Especially for boys.) They need a few minutes to unwind, get a snack and just be kids before they are forced to sit and concentrate again. If they are hyper active, allow them to get up and run a lap or stretch every so often. Do not let them turn on the TV though until all work is done.
• If your kid is spending all of their time at home on homework, something is wrong. Ask their teacher what is an appropriate amount of time to work on homework. Once that amount of time is up, homework time is over. *I always let my kids’ teachers know that they will work diligently, but not all day, on homework. And we do not believe in homework on the weekends unless it is an assignment that they did not complete in school because of bad behavior or poor choices on their part. Weekends are reserved for the THREE F’s: Faith, Family and Fun.
• Teach your kids about bullying and being bullied. This problem is rampant in schools right now and it starts as early as Kindergarten. A good resource for tips on how to talk to your kids about bullying is KidsHealth.org.
• Wash hands with soap right when you get home. They pick up so many germs at school and I know from experience that unless we are meticulous with hand washing, the kids will get sick within the first month. Count on it.
• Allow reading time every night before bed. It helps them with comprehension, vocabulary and efficiency.  After reading time, ask questions about their day. You’d be surprised what they are willing to share if you ask and listen without interrupting. These things get them (relatively) calm and eases their minds before they go to sleep.
• Set a bedtime that is 30 minutes earlier than you want them to be asleep. There will always be requests for water, restroom and more hugs before they finally settle in for good.
• Label EVERYTHING. Sweatshirts, backpacks, lunch boxes, supplies, folders…etc. A good place to find cute labels that last all year is Mabel’s Labels. They have it all and at a reasonable price! (I was not paid to say this.)
• Create a password that only your family could think of. Use it for occasions that a friend or relative picks them up from school. Unless the password is spoken, teach your kids to refuse to go with any person.
• Make Friday FUNDAY! Celebrate the completion of each week. Reward your kids and yourself with a fun activity or prize. We all need something to look forward to at the end of a busy week!
• Last but certainly not least….be your child’s biggest advocate and cheerleader. Congratulate their successes, no matter how small. Give them huge amounts of praise. Accentuate the positive. Also, address the negative. If there is a problem that is beyond what your child is able to take care of on his own, address it right away. If they need help, ask for it. If they are struggling, seek out resources for them. If they talk to you, listen with your full attention. Everything else can wait. We only get one chance at parenting our children.

Now that you know my secrets, I urge you to try them out this year and let me know how they work for your family! If you have any to add, feel free to leave a comment or email me by using the contact form. I love sharing wisdom and receiving it as well. Have a great school year!

This is Marlie and Daniel’s pre school class picture. I cannot believe that they are now in 7th and 6th grade. Where does the time go?