Fresh start

Make the most of their fresh start

by Michael Grose

The start of the new school year is about possibility and hope. The slate is wiped clean. There’s a six week gap between any struggles children may have experienced during the previous year and the present. BUT the novelty of the new school year can wear off quickly when the mundaneness of school life sets in. When this happens kids slip back to old habits of working, behaving and thinking.

Similarly, kids slip back into old habits at home unless you put some changes in place. That’s why February is so important for parents.

It provides a window of opportunity to make some changes and adjustments that we so often try but fail at during the year when we are busy.

So instead of doing the ‘same old, same old’ that may not be working for you and your child consider putting some steps in place to make some improvements.  Here are five ideas to stimulate your thinking:

1. Establish new homework or working at home habits and routines:  Take advantage of the new year novelty factor and get your child into some regular homework habits that take account of their after school activities. It may take time to settle on a routine that works so be prepared to engage in some dialogue with your child about this.
2. Create new rituals: Do your kids drop their bags and scarper outside or turn on the TV or a computer and tune out when they come home from school? Consider instigating a little after-school five minute snack time ritual that may encourage them to share their day (be realistic here) and prevent them from picking at food before dinner.
3. Form new helping habits: If your kids do little to help you at home then you can change this - just do it one little job at a time. (Check out my book One Step Ahead for ideas and strategies to get kids helping at home.)
4. Declutter kids’ lives: If you kids lives are busy, busy, busy to the extent that they become overwhelmed or just plain exhausted toward the end of term, then think carefully about how many activities they start this year. Talk with your kids about this and get them to prioritise their activities so they know which ones are expendable.
5. Check out their lunchbox:  Are your kids poor eaters at school? If so, make sure they bring their lunch box home with uneaten food, so you can talk about food choices and their eating habits at school. Involve them in any changes you make.

The start of the school year presents opportunities to for kids to do things differently both at school and at home. Choose a couple of areas to improve or change and help kids maintain the momentum by being positive, patient and encouraging as they start that a new year. 

The window of opportunity is open widest right now! 

Raising kids to thrive confidence, character, resilience

This text first appeared on Michael Grose’s regular email, Happy Kids. Receive a free Chores & Responsibilities Guide for Kids when you subscribe to Happy Kids, Michael’s popular email newsletter at www.parentingideas.com.au