It's August already? Where did the time go?

Soon the school buses will be rolling out and the school bells will be chiming again. Now tell the truth parents. Aren't you just a little bit happy about that? (It's okay... I won't tell!)

You may be ready to scoot your young scholar out of the door and back to school but she may be dragging her heels in protest. Why? Because of the age-old angst that the end of summer always brings. No more free time to play video games, go on vacations, or just lounge around the house. Now it's time to get back to work. Once students are faced with this reality, that's when the Back-to-School Blues usually begin to set in.

Let's be honest. Studying can be labor-intensive sometimes, but learning shouldn't be that way. At least not in my opinion. That's why I'm offering five ways to help you put the love of learning back into the heart of your child, despite the upcoming challenges the new school year may bring.

  1. Pray with your child. Sometimes prayer is used as the last resort when it should be the first action we take. Don't wait until you get a negative report from the teacher. Lay the groundwork to invite the presence of God to be with your child as he strives to learn this year. Praying with your young scholar will help to give him peace about heading back into the classroom. It will also reinforce the fact that you have his back and that he has a faithful support system in God and his parents.
  2. Get some goals in mind. A challenge is always best met when you can picture the end result beforehand. That's where goals come in handy. Have your child to make a list goals he'd like to accomplish by the end of this school year. They can be related to academics, sports, fine arts or whatever, just as long as they revolve around school. Talk to him about the steps he plans to take to reach those goals and be ready to help him adjust them when. (We all know things don't always go as planned). Have him post his goals in a place where he can see them every day, and periodically review them with him to chart his progress.
  3. Be transparent. Share a story with your child about your own bouts with the Back-to-School Blues and tell her how you overcame them. Children feel safer and more at ease when their parents are open enough to be vulnerable with them. Just knowing that your obstacles didn't stop you will help your young scholar to know that the ones she may face this year can't stop her either.
  4. Offer some new incentives. We all like to be rewarded sometimes. You may already have a reward system in place for your child (I.e., a certain amount of money for each A he gets on his report card, stickers, treat days, etc.). If you do, then try switching it up a little this year. No fresh ideas? Go to the source. Just ask your child. Perhaps what motivated her last year just doesn't do it for her anymore. Find out what does and offer those new incentives to give her something to look forward to as she begins this new school year.
  5. Plan one last summer fling! Don't say goodbye to summer just yet. It's easy to get so caught up in shopping for school supplies and making schedules that you forget to enjoy this new beginning with your child. Plan one last fun fling you can do as a family; something you know will supercharge your child's spirit and make great memories that all of you can reflect upon later. It can be as grand as taking a mini-vacay during Labor Day weekend or as simple as a family movie night at home. Try springing it on him as a surprise and watch him just light up!

Let us know if these tips prove to be helpful to you and your young scholar. Also, if you have some of your own creative back-to-school tips, traditions, and ideas, post them here in our comments section or on our Mamaversity Facebook page. We'd love to hear about them.

Happy New School Year Everyone!