The Home-School Connection

Strategies for developing a home life that will help your child succeed in school.

Between Home and School

When our children are little, we're very conscious of our job as "first teachers." Yet once they enter school, we tend to abdicate this role. But the fact is, home life encourages school success. What time your child goes to bed, whether she eats a good breakfast, how well she gets along with her siblings, and even how easy it is for her to find her backpack when she needs it affect every aspect of her well-being, including academic performance. What can you do at home to help make your child ready to learn?

One thing's for certain: kids don't do well with chaos. They also don't do well with a structure so rigid that there is no room for their own quirks, personalities and preferences. The challenge we face as parents is to create an environment in our homes somewhere between the two.

Think this is an easy task? Think again. A specific routine or rule that works for one family doesn't always work for another. And what helps one child might be counterproductive for a brother or sister. Most parents do find, however, that a predictable daily framework benefits all the kids in their family. Just like adults, they usually work better when they feel organized and on top of things instead of confused. An added benefit is that settled rules and routines eliminate the on-the-spot decisions and arguments that wear parents -- and kids -- down. When they whine, "Can't I stay up a little later?" it's easier to respond, "The rule is eight o'clock bedtime on school nights," than to argue.

Get Set the Night Before
Being prepared for the next day before going to bed gives parents and children alike a settled feeling. For one thing, it's more relaxing for kids to go to sleep knowing that they've taken care of business. And it makes mornings more pleasant. Here's the routine that works for us.

What my kids do They check assignment sheets to make sure they haven't forgotten anything, then pack their schoolbags and leave them by the back door. When they were younger, I packed their lunches and left them bagged in the fridge. Now they do that. They choose what to wear the next day and lay it out.

What we do together We take a look at the calendar for the coming day, which reminds us of any appointments, lessons, assignments that are due, sports practices, after-school activities or field trips, so we can gather equipment or make driving plans. A paste-it note placed on the front door the night before is a great way to remember to bring in your clarinet or field-trip permission slip. We also listen to the weather report. If it's going to be raining, we get out umbrellas and slickers. If it's going to be cold, we dig out the mittens.

What we do at bedtime Everything goes more smoothly when we keep to a regular bedtime routine on school nights. The time and routine will depend on children's ages. Regularity is the important thing. When children are little, the routine might include reading a story, hearing a special lullaby and turning on a night light. Older kids might choose to read in bed on their own for half an hour. Some children take baths or showers; others, especially older ones, wait until the morning. But if that means four people will be competing for one shower, work out a rotation in advance.

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