How parents and kids can have a stellar first week of school

Getting ready for the first week of school can sometimes be a bit daunting so we’ve reached out to our expert faculty in the School of Education and Human Development for advice to help put parents and kids at ease!

Laura Dinehart, interim executive director of the School of Education and Human Development, and Maria Tsalikis, director of the elementary education program, offered these five tips for parents and their kids.

1 – Help your child get a good night’s rest

Kids can sometimes have trouble falling asleep the night before school starts. They’re probably a bit nervous or excited. No need to add any stress. Tell them to just take some deep breaths, they’ll be fine for the first day of school.

2 –  The prepared parent beats back-to-school traffic

While this may sound routine, it is always important to remind parents to make sure their children have basic school supplies packed and ready to go. Don’t forget to set your alarms a little earlier than usual for the first week. This way, everyone can have plenty of time to get ready and avoid major traffic that tends to build-up during the back-to-school rush.

3 – The early bird gets the worm FREE BREAKFAST!

Since you set that alarm a little earlier, your little one should be at school just in time for breakfast. It is very important for children to eat breakfast, which helps fuel them for the day! Luckily, every student in Miami-Dade County Public Schools gets a free breakfast, which is served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. in elementary schools, from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. in middle schools and from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. in high schools. Click here for more details. Broward County Public Schools offers free breakfasts at 85 of its schools. Click here to see which Broward schools offer free breakfast.

4 – Sign up for the parent portal

You’ve dropped your child off at school and they’ve eaten their free breakfast to get them started. But how are they doing? One of the ways parents can ensure student success is by being part of their child’s education.  Stay fully aware of your child’s progress and other school related information by signing up for access to Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ parent portal or Broward County Public Schools’ parent portal.

5 – Blowing off steam is important, too!

Giving your kid some time to run around and “blow off some steam” when they get home is better than having them jump right into homework. You may think it’s better to get it out of the way, but they need some “free time” after a pretty structured day.