Reading for 20 minutes a day helps prepare students
Published on Page 3 of the August 7, 2013 issue of Morgan Hill Life:
By Staff Report
Larry McElvain
Discovery Counseling Center
The Morgan Hill Unified School District’s new school year starts Thursday Aug. 15. Parents play an important role in helping their children make a transition from summer vacation days to the daily routine of a school schedule. Morgan Hill Life asked Larry McElvain, executive director of Morgan Hill’s Discovery Counseling Center, for advice that will help parents help their youngsters adjust to the new school year.
Why is it important for parents to “prep” children for the new school year?
Have you ever seen that list of the top 10 causes of stress? You will remember that “death of a loved one” was No. 1 on the list. The No. 1 cause of stress for a child is “going back to school.”
Stress has a powerful impact on the body and the emotions. All children feel stressed. And many experience the stress with a sense of anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation, irritability and depression. They may find it hard to focus, feel jumpy or tired, or might be easily frustrated. The anxiety may generate fear thoughts, such as, “What if I’m not smart enough? What if my teacher doesn’t like me? What if I don’t like my teacher?”
To reduce the anxiety, begin talking with your child about their feelings about school a couple of weeks before. Ask them, “What are you most excited about when you go back to school? What are you most worried about?” Talking helps reduced the fear level and increases the sense of expectation.
How can parents get their children excited about starting the school year?
The opposite of anxiety is hopefulness. Anxiety is a natural and healthy emotion when balanced with positive expectations. There are a number of ways to raise your child’s expectations.
Make it a special event to get the kids new clothes for school, or if you can’t afford new clothes start a clothes swap with other parents. Take the kids to buy school supplies, and let them pick the supplies when possible. New things give going back to school a feeling of being special.
Raise expectations by talking about possible goals for the year such as making new friends, having fun, new experiences and becoming a better reader.
Generate excitement and demonstrate your value of education by dedicating a study area for your child. This is a special place he or she will do homework and study. It should be a well-lighted area, without distractions such as television or other media devices.
Should parents bring their children to the school grounds before school starts?
Absolutely. You might think that taking kids to school a week or so before school starts is a good idea for young kids, but it is also great for youth going into middle or high school. Visualizing the school environments takes away fears and answers questions they might have never vocalized. Familiarity brings a sense of comfort and a feeling that “I can do this!”
Should parents focus on particular subjects the child will face in the upcoming school year?
Reading is probably the one skill required across all subject areas. It’s a relatively easy behavior to get children involved in before school starts.
Start reading 20 minutes a day. Use flash cards or printable worksheets to get them back on track with math. Practice the skills they were learning or working on at the end of the previous school year.
Any final advice for parents on preparing children to go back school?
Get on a set schedule early. Set up a regular bedtime and wake-up routine before school starts. A good night’s sleep is essential to a child’s educational growth. Getting children into sleep habits is essential to preparing your child for school and reducing first-day stress.
Larry McElvain is a professional marriage and family therapist who serves as the executive director of the Discovery Counseling Center in Morgan Hill. The Discovery Counseling Center collaborates with the community to help people achieve a healthy living style and heal from past wounds. It helps families learn to parent effectively and bring peace back into the home. It helps couples heal relationships, break communication barriers, rediscover intimacy, and recover respect.
The Discovery Counseling Center is located at 16275 Monterey Road, Suite C in Morgan Hill. For more information, call 408-778-5120.
