1. Establish supportive home routines. The school year calls for renewed attention to home routines, particularly surrounding bedtime, morning, and meals. Kids need the right amount of sleep to be alert and ready to learn. Establish a consistent bedtime routine, especially during the school week. Be sure to stop use of stimulating devices such as tv, video games, and internet access at least 30 minutes before lights out. These devices can disrupt restful sleep and can cause irritable or hyper types of behavior in children.
2. Send your child to school ready to learn. A nutritious breakfast fuels up kids and gets them ready for the day. You can help boost your child’s attention span, concentration, and memory by providing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein, as well as low in added sugar.
3. Teach organizational skills. When kids are organized, they can stay focused on their school work. Review what supplies your child will need to have for the school year. It’s helpful to teach your child how to make a to-do list to prioritize and get things done. Modeling the expectation is a great way to help your child visualize what they need to do.
4. Support homework expectations. Avoiding distractions (like tv in the background) and setting up a start and end time can help.
5. Take attendance seriously. If your child is sick, he/she should stay home from school. Otherwise, it is important that children attend school every day. Having to catch up on missed work can be stressful and interfere with learning.
6. Make time to talk about school. Encourage your child to discuss any anxieties, problems, or questions he/she may have about the new school year with you. It helps to talk problems out. Encourage him/her to share the positives too!
7. Attend Meet the Teacher night and Parent Teacher conferences. This is a great time to get to know your child’s team and their expectations. Attending parent teacher conferences is another way to stay informed and review your child’s IEP.

Download as PDF: 7 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed In School