Parenting Tips
By Myrna B. Shure, Ph.D
For the WHYY Children's Service

Getting Ready for the School Day

Does your child dawdle in the morning, making you rush to get her to school on time?

Getting organized for school the night before may be one of the most important things you can do for your child - and for yourself. Here's some ideas:

• Take your child with you to pick out his own book bag. Find ones with compartments, and from those, let your child choose the one he likes.
• Help your child organize his book bag. Ask:
  What do you need in your book bag?
  Where will you put your papers, pencils, books?
• Prepare the night before (preferably with your child) what she will have for lunch the next day. Let her choose her sandwich, her fruit, cookies, etc., from choices that are ok with you. Let her pack her own lunch.
• Let your child pick out his own clothes for the next day, and grit your teeth - even if not a perfect match. Let him lay out his clothes the night before.
• If your child still dawdles, ask:
  What might happen if you take so long to get dressed?
  How will you feel if you're late to school?
  What will you do tonight so that won't happen and you won't feel that way?

By letting your child think about what he's doing, and preparing as much as possible the night before, there will be a lot less stress - for you and for your child.