Back to School: Keeping Both Parents Involved

Your child’s success in school is a primary concern for every parent, and with the start of each school year, new challenges are faced within and outside of the classroom for parents and kids alike.  Through meeting teachers and classmates, adjusting to a new daytime routine, and handling homework every night, kids have a lot on their minds as the summer winds down.  Parents also experience newfound stress during this transitional period, but divorced or separated parents can find this time of year more difficult to tackle.  Much of this anxiety stems from the perception that keeping both parents involved is a non-reality, but taking initiative to plan ahead will help everyone stay in the loop.

Keeping both parents involved during the back to school transition and throughout the academic year is helpful in supporting your child’s success in school.  Before their first day, parents should lay out a blueprint schedule for the year.  Many teachers or schools will post their calendars online, so work with these as well as your personal schedules to get a snapshot of what the school year will look like for your family.  Determine your schedule for weekday pick ups and drop offs, weekends, and breaks; once this is determined, keep both parents involved by posting the schedule somewhere that is easily accessible, like an online family calendaring forum.

Keeping both parents involved in scheduling for the school year is vital to promote a smooth year within each home, but it is just as important to keep your child’s school connected about what is happening within your family life.  Divorce or separation can be very hard on kids, creating issues in the classroom.  Schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher or school counsellor to let them know what is going on at home.  Explaining the situation can help the teacher be more sensitive to any misbehavior on your child’s part or other issues in the classroom.  Your kids will spend majority of their time in school, and teachers care about their student’s wellbeing.  They’ll want to be kept up to date about what is affecting their student.

Keeping both parents involved within your child’s school life promotes learning and eagerness about going to class.  Parents showing enthusiasm about a new school year will have a positive effect on kids, helping them to get excited about going back and tacking the new school year.  For instance, both parents can take their child to get new school supplies – one set for each home.  Each parent can have time to bond with their child over choosing new pencils and notebooks, and when school arrives, your child will always have the tools they need to get their homework done no matter which house they are staying at.  As parents, keep lines of communication open about your child’s school days and nightly homework so everyone is kept on the same page about your child’s learning.

As the school year steadily approaches, parents need to stay organised and begin planning now.  The OurFamilyWizard Website offers numerous tools for parents to utilise in preparation for the school year.  Organise your pick up and drop off schedule on your OurFamilyWizard Calendar, so you always know where you’ll need to be.  Post your child’s weekly school schedule in your OurFamilyWizard Info Bank as well as teacher and school contact information.  After shopping for school supplies, use the OurFamilyWizard Expense Log to track what has been purchased, post receipts and make low-stress reimbursement requests when need be.  Also, keep your child connected with the schedule by allowing them to access their child account, so they’ll always know how they’ll get to and from school.  As parents, send your kids messages to remind them you are proud and enthusiastic about their progress in school.  By keeping both parents involved in your child’s educational needs, parents will promote a successful school year.