We’re in the middle of (what seems like) an endless pandemic. Kids haven’t had a normal school year since the spring of 2020 (which seems like EONS ago), and if your kiddo was a kindergartener when this whole fiasco started — they’ve NEVER had a normal year. Teachers are quitting mid year, kids are already frustrated, and parents … well … parents are simply overloaded. I’ve compiled a giant list of ways you can help your kid fight the October Slump that everyone is feeling.
At Home: Organizational Help
- Routines, routines, routines: Think of it this way – your child is going out into the world every day that has mostly lost its dang mind. At home? At home they need to know order.
- Here’s a great reference for how and why routines are SO very important for kiddos.
- Put your kid in charge of the things. Give your kiddo chores that they will always have to do – no matter the day. Do they have to always have their bed made? Stick to that rule. Do they always have to load their dishes into the dishwasher, and clean up? Don’t stray. Give them responsibility early, and you’ll be raising capable kids.
- Raise. Capable. Kids. Let them try, let them fail, pick them back up, and help them to try again. A recent Motherhood article states, “We advocate not doing anything for a child that they can do for themselves (even though it may be more efficient to do it yourself during the morning rush). Instead, take time for training to teach them how to make their own bed, scramble eggs, and tidy the front room.”
- Create a homework station. Glue, scissors, markers, highlighters … Anything and everything a kid might need to be successful. We have a three-tiered rolling cart at my house and it’s perfect.
- Everything has a place – where does your kid’s backpack go? Where does their water bottle go when they get home? Their lunchbox? Their shoes?
The Power of Affirmations
Every morning, my son and I roll through a list of positive affirmations to get him started on the right track. Some thing it’s silly, but it’s become a powerful mindset shaper for him – and I am here. for. it. Every day, we talk about being kind and brave, we talked about being a strong leader, and we talk about resiliency. What are the characteristics you MOST want from your kiddos each day?
The website 7Mindsets has an excellent set of strategies for shaping your student’s affirmations:
- Affirmations must be firm, defined statements. Conditional affirmations are not nearly as effective. Avoid words like “hope,” “should,” or “wish” because these are soft and lack the confidence to be effective.
- Keep affirmations in the present tense. They should not be something you will become in the future; they should always speak to what you are now.
- Repetition and frequency is critical. We all know the power of repetition when building new habits. The thoughts we have today are simply habits we’ve solidified throughout our lives, so applying affirmations frequently is the key to rebuilding them. Just before bed at night and first thing in the morning are the two most powerful times to employ affirmations.
- While saying affirmations to yourself is a start, saying them out loud is more powerful. Writing them down is even more potent. The most impactful time to make an affirmation is in the moment of need (e.g. saying or writing the affirmation, “I am good at math” while you are taking a math test).
- It is important to manage the number of affirmations. Prioritize the top 3 to 5 and start off by focusing on those. You can always expand into new areas over time.
Start easy if you have to:
- I can do this
- I am good enough
- I am talented
- I am can do anything as long as I put my head and heart in it
- There is nothing I can’t do.
At Home: Intervention Help
Math Intervention Websites
Science Intervention Websites
- National Geographic Education
- National Science Digital Library
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Smithsonian Science Education Center
- California Academy of Sciences
English Intervention Websites
Elementary Intervention Websites
- Thinking Blocks
- Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
- National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
- Timez Attack (Math)
- IXL
The Bottom Line
You’re doing a great job, you know? Sometimes, all you have is the energy it takes to get your family out the door in the morning.
And that’s okay, too.
Control the things you can control, friends.
xoxo, B.
rebeccacooperauthor 