The first day of school at my house ran the gamut from, “I am so excited to go back to school!” to “My stomach hurts. I don’t want to go to school.” In other words, there were years my kids couldn’t wait to go back, and there were other years when the dread they felt made my heart ache for them.
But no matter where my kids were on that spectrum, I tried to find ways to boost their confidence before heading back. A great place to start is to assess how prepared they are academically. Even before the first day of school, recall how they ended the last school year. Did they finish strong? If not, talk to them in an encouraging way about how you know they’ll do great this year. Then, come up with a plan with them for how they’ll manage their studies and their homework. Help them feel reassured that you’ll do all you can to help them succeed. This is a biggie because if your kids launch the school year with academic struggles, it can affect every aspect of their school life from friendships to their relationship with their teacher.
You’re their number one cheerleader, mom, so use these 5 Back-to-School Confidence Boosters for Your Kids.
1. Friendship Factor.
Think about your child’s friendships. Can you invite friends over before the school year starts to get him used to being around them again? Have you heard about any new children joining his grade at school? Consider if any of those children would be a good fit for your child, and try to plan activities for the new child and your own child. Walking into the classroom and seeing a familiar and friendly face is a huge confidence boost to a child. If your child needs help to make friends more easily, here are 4 steps to making friends you can share with her.
2. Fresh Motivation.
Getting your kids excited about buying their school supplies is a simple way to give them fresh motivation to go back to school with a smile. And be sure your child has something special to wear on the first day of school. If they don’t really care about clothes, try to get them a fresh, new backpack – even something as small as a pretty hair accessory for girls or a cool haircut for boys. Of course, we want them to realize their true value lies within, but a child’s confidence soars when they are comfortable about how they look and how they’ll fit in.
3. Have a Plan.
Another great way to build your child’s confidence for the new school year is to make sure that you have an overall plan for objectively looking at the different aspects your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Use our free eBook Make Every School Year Count for ideas on how to help your child with their organization, time management, communication and more.
4. Celebrate
Kick off the new school year with a bang! We love the idea of a Back to School Feast. It can be as simple as you and your kids toasting a meal with sparkling grape juice, or you can use some of our Back to School Party Ideas and get a little fancier. You can make your back to school celebration a surprise also.
5. Prayer Power.
The night before the first day of school say a special prayer for your child – with your child. Ask God to be with your child every hour of the day and to give him all of the confidence and joy he’ll need to have a good day. Then, show them our 10 Ways to Pray for Your Child at School Printable and let them know you’ll be praying for them every day.
Bonus: Get Dad involved more at school!
Let’s Talk: How do you boost your kids’ confidence before they go back to school?
