Setting Up For Success

Setting up for success!

School has started! New teachers. New classmates. New schoolwork. New schedules for kids and parents.

“New” can be exciting, but “new” brings stressors as well. Each fall we and our 5th graders use natural resilience to adjust. A few weeks into the school year, take a look: What is going well? What can you do to ease stress for better success?

Powering Up: Sleep

Sleep is essential to your child’s well-being. Fifth graders typically need 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night! A well-rested child pays better attention in school, behaves better, and has an easier time completing schoolwork. He or she is sick less often, which means better school attendance and less time off work for parents and caregivers. Is your child getting enough sleep? Assess: is it quiet enough in the home? Has your child consumed sugary snacks and caffeine in the later hours of the day? TV, computer, tablet and phone screens stimulate the brain to stay awake, so have your child turn off such devices an hour before bedtime.

Stepping Up: Schoolwork

Success does not bring happiness, but happiness can bring success. Experts agree that students will be more enthusiastic about schoolwork and learning when parents praise responsibility and hard work rather than the final grade. Keep your expectations high that your child will complete their schoolwork to the best of their ability. If your student is having trouble with schoolwork, encourage and praise effort, and help your student find ways to address the problem.

Calming Down: Be the Hero

Sometimes we, and our 5th graders, feel overwhelmed by the amount of tasks we face or by other daily challenges. This is your opportunity to help your 5th grader learn good coping skills and resiliency. Stay calm. Remind yourself and your child that stress is manageable. Be proactive at problem-solving. Mornings feel rushed? Come up with plans and routines that reduce the hurry. Child leaving assignments at home? Establish a checklist for your child to follow when packing up. But also give yourself and your child a break from stress. Meditate or pray. Hug your child. Play and laugh together. You got this!