Parents and children are experiencing a variety of emotions at the thought of going back to school. Yes, the days off from summer structure are over and school punctuality begins. This blog post will help put your worries to rest! By the time you finish reading this publication, you and your child will be ready to transition back to school with confidence. You’ll have practical tips that can be used right away to support your child and give them peace of mind as the school year begins.
To help, I wanted to give you an educator’s perspective on the transition back to school. I interviewed Beverly Black, an award-winning educator, whom I describe as a “brain engineer” based on her success in educating young minds in one of the highest performing school systems in the Americas; to share her point of view. These are three keys that she wants parents to know.
Key #1: Encourage your child’s gifts by saying words of affirmation.. Many parents come from different skill sets and experiences. It’s important to realize that as parents you may not have grown up with affirming parents, that doesn’t mean they were bad parents; however, children thrive in environments that affirm them. Ms. Black confidently shared that parents are their children’s first teachers and advocates. In addition, she explained that children need to know that there are people who love them unconditionally. Ms. Black described parenting as a “24/7” responsibility that makes parents the teachers of their children whether they want to be or not. She reminds parents that their children are watching them even when they think they are not.
Key #2: Collaboration; When your child enrolls in school, it is a collaborative effort between the parent, teacher, and student. “The three of them work together for the success of the child. Parents can help their children by instilling in them the concept of collaboration, we are all in this together and we are all going to figure it out (education) together. As an educator, Ms. Black expressed the belief that parents send their children to school for the purpose of “learning” and, in general, teachers are committed to fulfilling their role in that purpose.
- Come to the table with an open mind.
- Be curious. Have questions and ask the teacher questions.
- Encourage student-led lectures, which helps students build self-esteem, build problem-solving skills, and expand their vocabulary.
Key #3:
sleep sleep sleep; is critical to helping children succeed in school. Ms. Black has seen the devastating impact sleep deprivation has on students, stating that “if you don’t sleep, you’re not going to work at your optimal level.” focus and behavior Ms. Black shared that students are giving up sleep to play with their electronic devices, resulting in a sleepy and unfocused student.
As I spoke with this dynamic educator, I was reminded that educators are “brain engineers.” Many parents are searching the Internet for tips to help them through this transition back to school. What I have found is that many of these tips miss the brain-success connection. The three keys shared on this blog, however, align with advanced brain knowledge used by the top 1% of parents. Did you know that parents and children connect better thanks to the neuroscience of affirmations, collaboration, and sleep?
Many parents use only limited knowledge to help their children transition back to school. Imagine how different things would be if parents used brain-based strategies to help their children succeed. That’s why I’ve put together a free webinar outlining five mind tricks advanced parents are using to make sure their kids are set up for back-to-school success. You can watch the webinar here. Stay connected and join the Whole Brain Parent Leadership Academy for practical brain-based parenting ideas.