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Summer is winding down, and the time for Back to School prep is at hand. Beyond getting new school attire and supplies, there are three things parents can do that will help get your student off to a solid start for the new school year. Many of you have possibly engaged in one or two of these practices all summer, and the third is something you may be able to do with your student(s). 

First, much as you may encounter resistance, it is HIGHLY advisable for students to be reading something over the summer. Having your student reading for even 20-30 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week can make a huge difference in their ability to improve or keep their reading comprehension high. As it is the summer, have them pick books that are of interest to them and see if you can foster a love of reading in them. 

Second, and I know this is possibly the greater challenge, have your student(s) engage in math work over the summer, again 20-30 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week. This does not have to be textbook work. Doing things that involve math can sometimes be easier to coax them in. Even math games and online programs that engage them can make a tremendous difference. 

Finally, have your students learn and understand their sleep schedule. I'm not saying you have to curb their bedtime just yet, but it can be a good experiment for them to see how long they need to plan to sleep in order to be truly rested. This involves simply paying attention to when they go to bed, learning how long it takes them to fall asleep, and then noting when their body naturally wakes up. Having your students recognize this can help them maximize their energy, not just for when they wake up, but to carry them through the whole day. They should equally learn to respect the fact that staying in bed and trying to go back to sleep once your body wakes up from its natural sleep cycle can be detrimental to their metabolism and make them equally as irritable as having too little sleep.

You might  be thinking that with school starting in just more than two weeks that it's too late to start now, but It's not! Less than an hour a day, even four days a week in reading and math is very much worth the benefits that can be realized. You might also benefit from tracking your own sleep schedule! Whatever time you can use to invest in some of these practices can yield huge dividends in your student(s) entering this school with a huge boost in confidence. Praying you have a great end to your summer, and we are looking forward to seeing our students return!