“Dear Teacher” is a monthly education column written by experienced educators and parents.

Establishing a School Routine

Question:

We start each new school year with the best intentions of getting our kids out the door without too much hassle and handling after-school activities including homework. But the sad truth is that we slip up and throw in the towel after a few weeks. What is the secret of making our family’s life go smoother this year? — Disorganized

Answer:

Perhaps the secret for your family is not to do too much at first. Start by choosing to structure either the morning or the after-school routine. And select the routines that fit your family’s personality and are age-appropriate for your children. Remember that changing behaviors takes time. Don’t give up too quickly.

Morning Routines

1. Successful morning routines start the night before. Clothes should be selected, baths taken, alarms set and backpacks laid by the door.
2. Create a realistic morning schedule for your children that includes breakfast and departure times.
3. Include in your routine – time for brushing teeth and putting on outerwear.
4. Use timers for dressing and eating.
5. Have a strategy for making school lunches or paying for them.
6. Use music as a transition to eating and/or leaving home — different tunes for each activity. This can be programmed into an electronic device.
7. Eliminate all use of electronic media.
8. Post the routine in a prominent spot.
9. Be willing to change parts of the routine that simply do not work.

 After-School Routines

1. Successful afternoon routines will need to have some latitude, as activities do vary. You may need different routines for different days.
2. Include a time for snacks. Kids love them, and snack time is a great time to talk about what happened at school.
3. Choose a specific time for homework, dinner and going to bed.
4. Include a definite play time for fun each day, if possible.

Talk, Talk, Talk to Children

Question:

All I see everywhere is parents either talking, texting or searching for messages on their cellphones in the presence of their children. No one seems to talk to children anymore. How is this affecting children? — For More Personal Attention

Answer:

There has been very little research on the effects of adults (parents and caregivers) being tied to their phones in the presence of kids. One study noted that children in fast-food restaurants reacted either by entertaining themselves — often with tablets or mobile devices — or simply misbehaving.

Since the development of language in young children is strongly dependent on adult-child conversation, it only makes sense for cellphones to be put away when adults are around children.

Choosing the Perfect Planners

Question:

The school wants our young children in elementary school to use planners. However, the teachers have not made very specific recommendations. What should I be looking for? — Need Advice

Answer:

The type of planners children use depends upon their grade level. The younger the child, the smaller the planner should be. They do not need heavy, bulky planners. In early elementary school, a planner should have:

•  Plenty of space to write down assignments, as younger children usually have large handwriting.
• A front and/or back pocket to bring work home from school and assignments and forms to school.
• A spiral binding so papers will not fall out and be lost.

Depending on a teacher’s requirements, it can also be handy to have pages for logging the books a student has read and spelling words.

As children advance to later grades, schools may provide planners or require a specific planner. These planners are usually larger and will offer more options. A calendar is definitely necessary so the children can write down the dates when assignments and reports are due, as well as the schedule of family events, extracurricular activities and appointments.

Records Families Need to Keep

Question:

Every year I get a barrage of information from my kids’ schools. How do I know what I should keep? — Need to Know

Answer:

Schools do not always keep all the important records related to your child’s education. You should establish a file folder for each of your children and keep it in a file cabinet or special place. The folders should include the following records:

•  Report cards and transcripts of grades.
• Copies of letters or emails that you have sent to a teacher or school on significant issues, as well as copies of their important communications to you.
• Standardized test scores.
• Medical records, especially immunizations.

Besides keeping important school records, it is also nice to have a portfolio of work completed by each of your children. You certainly don’t have to keep every piece of artwork or paper that they have written. Be selective. An accordion file folder can keep these papers organized by grade level. You also might want to include an annual school picture of each child.

©Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2015. Distributed by King Features Syndicate.