August signals the start of school. The new year offers your child a fresh start, new friends, and old connections. But beneath all the excitement, uncertainty can lurk. By preparing ahead of time for the transition to a new school year, you set your child up for the best possible start to succeed.
Pray. Pray over any concerns, trusting and standing on God’s promises. Remind your child of who God is and His character. Recall His promises to be with your daughter, care for her, and give her courage and wisdom. Ask God to make your son bold in his faith, gracious in his speech, and kind in his action. Pray for teachers, staff, and school board members as well.
Read. For younger kids, books offer a glimpse into life at school: some include humor (The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!), some offer a Christian perspective (If Jesus Came to My School), and some offer a totally different point of view (School’s First Day of School). Make sure older kids have completed any summer reading assignments. If so, suggest they read for fun these last few days.
Encourage goals. Challenge your child to set goals for the year. Maybe it’s to make one new friend. Perhaps it’s to be more organized. Maybe it’s about being brave and sharing the gospel with friends. Whatever the goal, encourage him to think about how he can accomplish it, then write it out. Check in on the goals throughout the school year.
Participate. Familiarize your child with the school building. Attend the back-to-school bash, introduce your child to the teacher, and walk around the school. Does your neighborhood host a back-to-school gathering? Consider attending. Your child could meet some new friends who go to the same school.
Acknowledge emotions. Ask questions to understand your child’s concerns. What is good about the coming year? What can you be thankful for? What are you concerned about? Validate their concerns, then remind them of God’s love and presence. Model trusting God, and encourage your worried child to practice gratitude and breathing when anxiety arises.
Rearrange the routine. Gradually shift it back to a school schedule, with the child going to bed and waking up earlier. Eat dinner together and share concerns or excitement. Create a list of lunch ideas and let your child choose the meal for the first day. Make it special by including a personalized note or a small treat.
Expect great things this year. Plan a few more memories by spending time together the week before school. Go out for ice cream. Play putt-putt golf. Pull out some board games. You’ll want to guard this precious family time. Most importantly, instill hope for the new year.
—Sally Cressman is the author of
The Dance of Easter. Connect with her through her email list and receive
“Biblical Affirmation” cards.
