A back-to-school guide for parents and children

It is, perhaps, one of the most anxiety-inducing events of the year--going back to school. For students and parents alike, it represents a time of tremendous change and a brand new start. For students, it means meeting new academic challenges, and adjusting to new classrooms, new teachers, new classmates and new friends. For parents, it means letting go to give their children room to grow and take on new responsibilities. It also means back-to-school shopping for clothes and supplies, and adjusting to new schedules. The good news is that with a little planning and preparation, the process can go smoothly.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The first day of school can be a trying experience for students of all ages, but meeting the teacher beforehand can make life easier for both parent and child. Days before classes begin, teachers, principals and other administrators are busy preparing the school building for the arrival of students. Parents should call the school office to see if they can set up a time to meet teachers, along with the child, before school starts, advises James P. Comer, M.D., a professor of child psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center and associate dean at Yale University School of Medicine.

"Doing a trial run through the school can be a tremendous help," says Dr. Comer, author of several books, including Leave No Child Behind: Preparing Today's Youth for Tomorrow's World. "Once, when my son was transitioning into a new school year, we went the day before and walked around the school building. Teachers were in the hall, and they stopped and talked and greeted him. It made the transition much easier."

Hugh B. Price, a former president of the National Urban League and also author of several books, including Achievement Matters:

Getting Your Child the Best Education Possible, says that parents should be involved in their child's school. He emphasizes that parental involvement helps to boost student achievement and improve students' grades because, among other things, children come to view their parents and teachers as a team. It also becomes a point of pride for children to see their parents actively involved in the classroom.

"We can't have resolutions that we make one month and shed the next month," says Price, who is currently senior advisor to a law firm in New York City. "We can't play hooky from our kids when it comes to helping them succeed in school. So parents need to get involved and stay the course."

To further prepare your children for a school year, reading to them at home during the summer, as well as during the school year, will help ease the transition from summer break. "Create a home environment that is conducive to literacy and learning," Price advises. "It's important for children to see books and reading material around the house. It's also important for them to see their parents reading so that they know reading is important in the household."

Price and other experts also recommend the following tips to parents to help students transition from summer break to a new school year:

* Develop a strong rapport and relationship with your child's teacher so that he or she feels comfortable reaching out to you when there is a problem. And review class curriculum so that you are up to date with your child's schoolwork. Familiarize yourself with test dates, and scrutinize test results and report cards.

* Check your child's schoolwork nightly. (Don't forget to check your child's backpack regularly for school fliers to advertise parent-teacher conferences and Parent Teacher Association meetings, among other things.)

* Be sure to attend school ceremonies and events that involve your child. Participation in after-school, academic and athletic programs can aid in a child's social development and sharpen his or her critical thinking.

* Parents should set aside time to talk with their children regularly about the rigors of school and their friendships. (You don't want them to get involved with the wrong crowd.) Also, educators recommend that parents designate quiet time so that children can focus on their homework. It is also recommended that parents limit television viewing and video/computer gaming to no more than two hours per day.

HIGH SCHOOL

High School presents new challenges for teens, including fitting in socially and meeting academic requirements, says Bronwen Millet, Ph.D., an expert in child and adolescent development in Washington, D.C. While some of the stress is unavoidable, there are ways to enable both parent and child to experience a smoother, easier transition into high school.

Communication is key, according to Dr. Millet and other child and adolescent psychologists. "It is paramount that children feel as though they can talk to their parents about anything. This includes, but is not limited to, conversations about peer pressure, difficulties with teachers, unrealistic homework expectations and dating. The door to these conversations will sometimes have to be opened by parents because youth may feel too uncomfortable to even broach these issues."