DMS Counseling Newsletter
August 2021 Welcome back! Establishing Routines!
Welcome back! We are so excited about this school year!
We look forward to sharing our Counseling Newsletter with you monthly. Know that your counseling team is here to support you in any way we can. You will find your student's grade level counselor information at the bottom of this form.
Helping Kids Back into the School Routine
With praise, understanding, and some structure you can smooth out back-to-school jitters
Lianna Wilson, MA, and Sarah Straus, MS
As the summer comes to a close and school is getting back into session, here are a couple quick reminders to help make the transition from the beach to the classroom easier for you and your child.
Validation: Let your child know that his nervous or apprehensive feelings about the start of school are normal. All kids (and adults!) have a hard time getting back into the routine of the school year. The knowledge that he is not alone in this experience will help your child feel he’s being heard and understood.
Morning Routines: A common change that occurs as we begin the school year is a new morning routine. To help your child be successful, discuss what her morning routine will look like during the school year. Giving specific praise when she completes each lets her know that you love what you’re seeing. This will increase your child’s chances of success in the future, and helps build her self-esteem.
Homework: Another transition that can be rough after a summer break is homework completion. Like the morning routine, providing your child with a structured schedule can help him stay focused and motivated. Completing homework as soon as school is over and with continuous parental support will take advantage of the daylight hours and provide encouragement, motivation, and assistance when needed. Snacks are a great way to keep your child’s energy up while he works through those tough math problems.
Bedtime: Bedtime is one of the hardest transitions. Children may be accustomed to going to sleep later and/or waking up later during the summer, so the new school schedule can be difficult to get acclimated to. As with the morning routine, having a nighttime schedule can assist in creating a structure for your child. Set your child up for success with clear expectations, simple step-by-step instructions, and praise at the completion of each step. Most kids want more time watching their favorite TV show or finishing that last level of a videogame, and setting time limits can be a great way to put a boundary around the winding down time that they need each evening.
DMS Counseling Team
7th Tara Tanner tara.tanner@gcpsk12.org 678-376-8542
8th Monica Garcia monica.garcia@gcpsk12.org 770-338-4842