Over the past few years parents often have asked for strategies to help their children have a happy, successful school year. I recently came across these tips offered by Mike Brock, LPC. posted to share at www.positivediscipline.com :

1. Project a positive attitude about school and confidence that your children will experience success and happiness. Communicate to your children through words and body language that you are confident they will enjoy school.
2. Establish supportive home routines. The school year calls for renewed attention to home routines, such as those surrounding bedtime, morning, and meals. Children appreciate and thrive on the routines that parents establish. One routine consistently correlated with success in school is the family dinner, all family members around the table together—make it a habit as often as possible.
3. Establish family rules related to TV, computer, and video game usage. There is a place for electronic learning (and playing), but every minute in front of a monitor is a minute away from family communication. No one forms a healthy relationship with a monitor; we only form relationships with real people, and home is where those relationships and the life skills surrounding them are born and developed.
4. Make optimum use of parent/child time during trips to and from school. Make travel time between school and home a cell phone-free experience. Think of the message we send our children when our attention is given to others on the way to and from school. And think of the message we give them when we put aside our cell phone and tune into what’s going on in their lives.
5. Avoid the temptation to over-involve your children in after-school activities. Life is getting busier every year for our children. How many activities our children should participate in is a personal choice, and a key word here is balance.

Mike Brock is a national speaker with valuable parenting advice. If you have any questions, or I can be of any help throughout the school year, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can easily be reached by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone at 404-695-0226.

Many Blessings,

Kelly Gfroerer, Ph.D., LPC

Pre-School Counselor