“I don’t want to go back to school!” my daughter whined as I tucked her into bed and set her alarm for 6:30 a.m. While I reassured her that it would be OK, she turned away and muttered gruffly, “Winter break was too short.”
It’s January, that halfway point in the school year when the excitement is long gone, and school might not seem as fun. If your elementary-aged child is having a hard time making it through the school year, here are 7 things you can try that could help chase away the mid-year blues.
1. Shake up lunch.
Are you tired of packing lunches? Are you tired of food coming back untouched? If you are, your child is probably tired of the same old lunches, too. Take your child to the store and have him pick out some new things he’ll actually eat, try buying school lunches instead of packing, allow her to buy that ice cream treat at lunch (gasp!), or put a sweet note inside the lunchbox.
2. Assess their school relationships.
Sometimes dreading school has nothing to do with the schoolwork itself and everything to do with a tough relationship. Check in with your child in three areas: classmates, teachers, and bus buddies. Be careful not to pummel your child with questions about all of these at once. Casually work in questions like, “So how are things going with ____? Do you still play together at recess?” If you notice any red flags, it may be an area to look into further and help your child practice his conflict-resolution skills.
3. Get some academic support.
Last year, I noticed my daughter was spending tons of time on her math homework and was really grumpy about school. After several weeks of stress and tears, I finally I looked into getting a tutor. This hurt her pride at first—she’d never struggled academically before. But once she started tutoring, she was so grateful. I saw an immediate change in her. The tutor allowed her to ask the questions she was afraid to ask in class and explain things a little differently than her teacher.
4. Use a fun goal chart (with a reward).
Before you say, “Been there, done that,” check out these printables! When your child can make a specific goal, see her progress, and know there is a reward coming, facing another five months of school may not feel so daunting. And tailor the chart and reward to fit your needs! I’m currently using this You Can Do It 10-day chart with my youngest. She chose a pretty large reward, so we changed it to 10 weeks. Make it whatever you need it to be!
5. Schedule a hump-day boost.
Wednesday is often the day we need a little push to make it to the weekend. Guess what—kids feel like that, too, especially when the current school year isn’t their favorite. Schedule a little hump-day boost, like a weekly after-school treat. Pick her up and head to her favorite pizza place, stop at the park on the way home, or have dinner at Grandma’s (a hug from Grandma can do wonders).
6. Get physical.
“School is so boring!” my son said countless times last January. And it wasn’t the class or teacher; it was having to sit still all day with no outside recess time. The CDC recommends “a minimum of 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity daily” for children ages 6 to 17. But did you know lack of exercise affects kids academically? Fitnesskid.com says, “Moderate physical activity increases cognition and brain function, which leads to better academic performance.” Throwing on the winter coat or boots and heading outside to run around is worth it. Earn bonus mom points by having hot cocoa ready when they come back inside.
7. Give the school supplies a makeover.
Somewhere around December, the school supplies, shiny and intact only four months ago, start looking pretty shabby. New supplies can help a student feel prepared for class, confident, and ready to learn. But first comes the “big dump” (cleaning out the backpack) and then the fun part: shopping! Replace those stubby pencils and highlighters without caps. And while you’re at it, look for unique supplies that make your child smile.
How do you help your kids make it through the school year?
