Back to School: Already or Finally

Back to School - already or finally?! For some of you this may be a time of trepidation and worry as you send your child back to school unsure of what the year will be like, how the teachers will deal with the learning or behavioral issues that come up, and what the social climate will be like. For others this may be time of relief - finally a few moments each day of peace, quiet, and maybe even getting some of your own to-do list done. And for others you may be finding yourself wandering in circles finding it hard to do anything without your children as the focus. Or perhaps, it is all three!Be gentle with yourself as the school year begins. Both you and your children are adjusting to new schedules, routines, demands and expectation. Remember to LAUGH, find the joy. Remember they are kids and everything is very important right now, and then may be forgotten. As parents we have to listen to our hearts as well as our kids to know where to investigate further. Listen inwardly and follow those little voices, let the rest go.We had a deal in the car when my kids were younger. I would pick them up from school and they told me 3 positive things about the day before I heard the complaints. This was for my sanity as well as to focus on the positive, remember it, often putting the challenges of the day in perspective. It taught them to look for the positive even in the most challenging situations - even if it was that the day was over!Be patient, listen and figure out where you need to get involved and where you can let your child navigate the journey on his/her own, developing confidence and experience along the way. If you need help figuring all this out, or working with teachers or schools, give me a call - I can help.