1. Go to open house night.
It is nerve racking going to a new school, in itself, but to go to a new school where you are low man on the totem pole is worse. At the open house your teens will get their schedule and be able to walk freely down the halls and find their classes. They will be able to meet their teachers and hopefully feel a little better when the first day comes. It is a good time for teens to reconnect with friends and not feel alone. Your teens and friends can compare schedules and determine what classes they have together. This eases everyone’s mind a little about being in a new environment.
2. Get your teens back on a sleep schedule a week before school starts.
Teens probably have been sleeping until the late afternoon all summer. Their bodies need to get used to the land of the living before noon now. They need to do be able to sleep at night as well, which can be difficult when they are sitting around doing nothing all day.
-have your teens go to bed at the same time every night -wake them up in the morning at the same time every morning -give them chores or tasks to do. They need something to make them tired, so they get tired and go to sleep at night.
3. Determine how they are going to get to school.
Are you going to drive them to school or are they going to take the bus? If you are going to drive them, I suggest you pick up one of their friends as well. This will make walking into school not so traumatizing. Teens feel better when they are with someone they know. If they are going to take the bus, have them determine who they know on the bus. Let them work out a time to meet their friend(s) at the bus stop and ensure they stick to it. Remember their friends need them as much as they need their friends. Also, there is safety in numbers.
4. Check out the school website.
The school website has a lot of useful information. Our high school has a link to the first day of school packet. You can fill out all the paperwork online and your teens don’t have to worry about getting them back to the school. Let’s face it, they have enough to worry about their first week of school! It also gives details of any clubs or sports in which your kids may be interested. The school calendar is there also. This is helpful as a parent so you can plan your schedule around days off from school or work. Other useful information is school picture day. That way, you kids can obsess over what they are going to wear that day. The bus schedule is also on the website. This is helpful for you to know exactly what time your kids need to be outside waiting. Also on the website is a link to put money on your kids’ lunch account. It’s imperative to make sure they have money in their account for the first day if they plan on buying food, and you don’t plan on making lunches every day.
5. Pick out first day of school clothes.
Have your kids determine what they are going to wear a few days prior to first day of school. I know some people do it the night before, which is fine for the rest of the school days, but the first day is different. Your kids will pick an outfit out the night before and the next day they change their minds 15 times. There goes your morning routine and schedule, now EVERYONE is late! You are yelling, they are yelling, it is not a good scene. So, to avoid all this frustration, have them decide a few days before the first day. This way they have a couple of days to be absolutely certain they have made the right choice for the high school debut.
As a Parent – what else do you think is important for the first day of school? You tell me!
*Interested in the T-shirt Thomas is wearing here is the website (not an affiliate link)
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