As summer draws to a close and the new school year is underway, it can be very exciting, but it can also bring about many anxious feelings for children. A new school year requires more preparation than buying new clothes and rounding up the perfect new school supplies for the beginning of the year. As our children embark on a new school year, they look to us for guidance and support. As parents, the most important thing is preparing them to have a positive school mindset, and the beginning of a new school year is the perfect time to have a fresh start and adopt a positive mindset that sets the stage for a successful academic year.
This blog will cover seven different strategies to equip your child with the mindset they need to thrive this school season!
1. Encourage a Growth Mindset
Parents must teach their children that their abilities will be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. This positive thinking will prevent your child from holding a fixed mindset where they believe they are good or bad at something due to their innate abilities. Avoid praising inherent traits such as being "smart" and focus on praising hard work. Overall, parents should emphasize effort, not results, and the idea that they can accomplish their new goals with hard work and a positive mindset.
2. Stay Positive and Calm
Our kids look to us for guidance and feed off our energy and reactions to new experiences. Parents must stay positive and calm. Maintain a positive and calm demeanor to alleviate any negativity during homework time, back-to-school jitters, or anxieties your child might have throughout their daily routine.
3. Make Sure to Have Open Communication
Parents need to create an environment where their child feels comfortable discussing their concerns, successes, failures, and experiences at school. Set aside time on a regular basis to ask them questions about their day each day, and be sure to listen actively and validate their feelings. Open communication can help alleviate their school stress and allow them to devise an action plan together to overcome hardships.
4. Be Sure to Celebrate Progress
Parents must celebrate the Progress their child makes throughout the year instead of focusing solely on grades, test scores, or the outcome of the school year. If your child receives a bad grade on a test, look at it as an opportunity for growth. Ask them what they can do better next time and help them develop a reasonable goal and plan for next time. When the next test comes around, celebrate all improvements (big or small) and tell them how proud you are that they worked so hard to improve. Other ways to celebrate Progress include:
Commenting on their improved study habits.
Noticing and pointing out their increased self-confidence.
Improving time management.
5. Promote Resilience
It's important to teach your child to view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth. Promoting Resilience will help them develop problem-solving skills, easily take on new challenges, and bounce back from difficulties. This life skill will be helpful for years as we will undoubtedly face hardships, setbacks, and disappointments. Teach them it is OK to make mistakes! Please encourage them to put themselves out there, learn a new skill, join school clubs and extracurricular activities, and make new friends. Taking on these new opportunities will bring about a sense of accomplishment and show them that they can do hard things. When they go to do something new in the future, they will take a deep breath and dive in. It will seem easier each time as they overcome their fears and create new neuropathways.
6. Avoid Comparision
Every child is unique and develops at their own pace. Avoid comparing your child to others, or correct them when they compare themselves to peers. Comparison creates unnecessary pressure and anxiety. Goal setting can be a great way to consider their level and pinpoint individual goals and needs. Make sure their goals are reasonable and attainable to avoid disappointment.
7. Create a Consistent Routine
Establishing a consistent daily routine at home—a relaxing and consistent morning routine and ensuring their afternoon routines include time for homework, relaxation, physical activity, and a regular sleep schedule. These are all vital for their mental health and overall academic success. Parent tip-it can be a good idea to set daily alarm clocks to map out essential periods in your child's schedule. For example, I set daily reminders and alarms on my phone to remind me to give my daughter a bath, read a book, and get to bed at a reasonable hour at the end of the day. This predictability will reduce stress and increase productivity. Overall, it will benefit the entire family and create a more relaxed and enjoyable experience when it comes to family time. Remember that academic success is a small aspect of a child's well-being. Prioritize their physical, emotional, and social well-being by encouraging a balanced lifestyle.
BONUS: Hire a Life Coach for Kids!
If you think they need additional support with having a positive outlook, managing different types of stress, overcoming change, or dealing with any other ups and downs of growing up, I can help them master their mindset!
I am a licensed Wisdom Coach through Adventures in Wisdom. This program empowers kids through mindset development and is excellent for children ages 6-12. Through story-based coaching, children will learn how to use the power of their thoughts to create happiness, confidence, and success in their lives.
Click on the button below to view a checklist for parents and find out When to Add a Life Coach for Kids to Your Parenting Team. If you say "yes" to even one of these questions, a life coach for kids can help!
Your child will participate in reading exciting stories, engaging activities, and discussions that will help them shift their mindset. These mindset skills help children navigate the ups and downs of growing up! Through the Mindset program, they will learn how to:
Have the courage to set goals
Learn to think for themselves
Overcome challenges and fears
Make good decisions
Create happiness regardless of their circumstance
And go after whatever they want to in life and more!
I use various techniques to learn how to have the right mindset for success, such as visualization, positive affirmations, goal setting, step-by-step action steps for overcoming multiple hardships, and more valuable tools they can add to their toolbelt and utilize for a lifetime!
Would you like to learn more about how Wisdom can help your child own their magnificence and reach their fullest potential? Let's have a 1 to 1 discovery call to see what package is just right to suit your child's needs!
Conclusion
Approaching the new school year with a positive mindset and strategies can make all the difference in the upcoming school year. By implementing these seven tips, you'll be better equipped to navigate challenges and seize the new school year's various opportunities. The coming year is an excellent time for a new start and about starting the first weeks of school with the best mindset for success.
About the Author
Janay Neufeld is an online reading specialist and confidence coach for kids. Her unique approach can help children worldwide increase their confidence and reading skills with positive mindset training, helping them reach their full potential!
She has ten years of experience helping children feel like skilled, confident readers. She has her multiple-subject teaching credential, Orton Gillingham trained through the Institute for Multisensory Education, and she has a Master of Arts in Education. She is also certified as a life coach for kids through Adventures in Wisdom.
Does your child need help with reading and or have a hard time with maintaining a positive mindset? You can click either button below to sign up for a FREE Reading Assessment, or if your child could benefit from confidence coaching through positive mindset work, click the second button to book a Free Discovery Call today!