Question: How can our family get this new school year off to a great start? - Looking Ahead
Answer: Every school year, trouble spots appear that cause friction between parents and their children. The great thing about a new school year is that it presents an opportunity for a fresh start. By talking with your children now, before they have even set foot in a classroom, your family can prevent a repeat of many of last year's problems. Here are some suggestions:
Homework: Make homework your children's responsibility as much as possible. Stop endless battles to get them to start or complete it. Decide together now on the time that they will do their homework every day. Then, sign a contract that sets out these times. The contract can include other issues such as how much help parents will give. It can even have award and penalty clauses. During the year, it might be necessary to modify the contract. The real strength of having a contract is that it represents an agreement between parents and children on how homework will be handled.
Morning Routine: All children should have alarm clocks so they can get themselves up and ready for school without parental prodding. Insist only that they must get up early enough to eat breakfast every day. Dawdlers can be speeded up if they set timers for each activity from dressing to eating. Much early morning conflict and confusion can be avoided if backpacks are loaded, permission slips are signed, clothes are selected and school lunches are made in the evening. Try to make this a family policy.
Television Viewing: Establish now the TV viewing times or the TV programs your family will watch. The television should definitely not be on during homework time. If children have no homework, they can use this time for reading or other activities - not television.
Family Chores: Your family should agree on what chores each member will do. Putting up a list for everyone, including parents, to check off when a task is done helps. You might also set up a weekly family reward if all tasks are completed during a week. Be sure to rotate tasks.