September 17, 2009
As principal of Heartland Christian Academy, it is my sincere hope that your child’s first weeks back in the school classroom have been a successful experience. I have been sharing some of the challenges and transitions that children face when they switch from summertime “vacation mode” to the more structured and challenging environment of the classroom.
I previously focused on some of the physical challenges, and made specific suggestions about helping your child adjust to the rigors of a full, exhausting day in the classroom. Even after school starts, two of the biggest factors under the control of parents are adequate breakfast nutrition and bedtimes that allow for sufficient rest.
Last week I shared with you about the mental preparation necessary for a successful school experience, especially in the area of organizational skills. Even a very intelligent child can be handicapped if the skills are not there to focus in the classroom and organize the assignments given by the teacher. I urged you to meet the teachers to find out what the homework and project schedule is going to look like. Teachers appreciate parents that are willing to work with them. I also suggested that, especially for young students, lockers, desks and backpacks need to be checked on a regular basis.
There are also emotional challenges to the start-up of school. Questions like, “will my teachers like me,” and “will I make any new friends?” are accompanied by fears about finding classrooms and getting the locker open. Every grade and age has its unique, real, social and emotional challenges, whether it is the preschooler who is homesick or the teen who wonders if that certain girl will be in his classes. asdfsdf Discuss some of the feelings likely to be experienced when returning to school. Even the most apparently self-assured and bright child may have unexpressed fears. Ask questions about your child’s well-being, and then be sure to listen attentively and sympathetically to the answers. Share your own school experiences and feelings, and suggest ways that you found to cope with them. As a Christian parent, seek out the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to give you discernment as to your child’s feelings. God has promised, “if any one lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously...”.
No fear, worry or anxiety is a small thing when it is demanding the attention of your child’s heart. The return to school is a vast minefield for potential fears and worries. Pray with your son or daughter. Hear their heart. Assure them that Jesus walks with them down those school hallways. Christian teachers will be giving them the same message.
And the concern about making friends? Assure your children that they are wonderful people to know, and that God has a plan to bring them the gift of friends in school. They just need to be open to others, watching for opportunities to demonstrate friendship, and be more intent on watching for others who need a friend than focusing on their own needs.
Our broadcast today is sponsored by our friends at the Buena Vista Ski Area and Heritage Museum just north of Bemidji, inviting you to the “Fall Color Ride” Enjoy spectacular fall colors from a horse-drawn covered wagon on the high ridge known for centuries as the “Top of the World.” View the season’s beauty reflected in the lakes visible from the Continental Divide; where the waters flow north to the Hudson Bay and south to the Gulf of Mexico. 2009 – 2010 will mark the 60th Anniversary of Buena Vista Ski Area. Saturday, September 19 from 11:00am – 4:00pm and Sunday, September 20 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm.
Go to www.bvskiarea.com for more details about this wonderful event for the whole family!.