"back to school?"

onebigvoice

This topic covers a few of the topic titles, and even if you don't have children of school age or college age there is always the part covered by Grand Parents and the "School run.

After the school break, there is the rush to get school uniforms, books, and pens, and even organising the School run, for toddlers, primary school, those starting at Uni, and those that are are going to college out of the area.

And so the stress starts again. There are some that the school uniforms must have the school logo on them, and can be expensive, well here is a little tip for you. Most schools have a donation scheme where young children that have school cloths that are to small for them or are changing classes require different items, most of the school's will have a donation day and you can go and donate as well as buy items that still have plenty of life in them at a reduced rate.

This saves pounds, instead of buying items at top price elsewhere.

The grandparents can save hours for you by doing the school run and even in some cases take other kids to school. This has to be arranged with the school so that the teachers know who is dropping them off and who collects them "safely" The first few times may require both to be present, or that you make sure that a "permission letter" has been handed into the school "prior" to the collection, i.e. that someone does not turn up with a letter saying I've come to pick up "Tommy" and the child is release to them.

Arranging drop off and collection fro college can be a simple job of you turning up at the house and arriving at college to drop off at about 15 minutes early and being there around the same time at end of the day. This leaves the parents time to say pick the other kids up from school, because they can't be in two places at once.

NOW, I afraid the serious bit:

Starting at a "new school" or new class, or going up a year where your friends are in a different class can be daunting. And there will at the start be the " I feel sick and I can't go in. (even though they are not) Some will go to the toilet to try to make them selves sick to say I told you so, others may have had experiences of the "new teacher" before and just can't get on with them, probably because they don't know them that well.

Some children do suffer from ADHD and don't like change, and when confronted at the gate decide I'm not going in, the go stiff as a board, and no amount of bribery will change their mind.

Fear not: It all about getting the child to open up and say what's wrong, you can't just drag them into school hand them to the teacher and say s/he is your problem now, as this will happen again and again every time you take them to school. You then become the person they "hate" since you are not listening to them and you drag them in. Its the same with going to the Doctors to get the children their needles. The won't go to the doctors if the mention of doctors suddenly sets alarm bells going, to say your having another needle, and you are afraid of them.

Take their mind off the innitial stages by giving them some thing to do when going like I SPY, and when getting out say when we get back in you can see if you get the word, as so far your miles out and I don't think your going to get it any way. OK, I'll give you 3 more guesses before going in, and then say how did you guess that, thatr's not fair, think of a word and when I pick you up lets see if I can guess yours. Tell me what it begins with so I can think while I'm at home.

It takes their mind off the process and teaches them to spell as well. Everything is about making it fun, learning times tables? Come shopping with me I need 4 apples at 12 pence each that's 72 pence? is it? NO, they will say it 48 Pence. WOW how do you know that. They love to say they were watching some thing and I saw it on that, or make a box table and get them to realise that they know loads already and get them to fill in the boxes, like 1x3=3, and is the same as 3x1=3. those rub out markers are great on the white boards then buy some scribble pads and let them make up their own boxes from 1 to 12 for each going up to 12 times 12.

Once they get the bug look out as they will come home and grill you just to say do you know how far the sun is from earth? If you don't know say I don't know and whe they answer say Are you sure? I'm google that or at night on U Tube there are quiz videos, like guess the flag of the country for those interested in football, you have three seconds to answer, and boy are they quick. then there is the riddle ones, to get you to think outside the box.

ALL, these help you interact with your kids and they don't feel isolated when at school or away from home.

Give it a go, tell me what you think or did you have a go and did it make a difference to their attitude to school.