Many of us attempt to implement mindfulness throughout the year, but like preparing for an upcoming test we may need to increase and incorporate more practice during these times. We know the schedule for school between the middle of November to January is filled with long weekends or breaks.

This conference is for you and about your child. Go in and seek out information. Utilize your time with the teacher and don’t allow it to be a task that needs to be checked off for the school year.

Yesterday our son had some issues at school. He is naturally a rule follower, so when he witnesses others not following the rules he tends to insert himself into the situation. We continue to work with him on knowing when to insert himself or when to allow the adults to handle the situation. This can be tricky as you toe the line between tattling and telling.

Students need positive relationships at school. I have witnessed firsthand as a parent, teacher, and administrator when this does and doesn’t happen. We had a year where our daughter’s teacher didn’t work to build a relationship. He went through the motions of being a teacher and we saw her effort wane as a result. She completed her work but you could tell she wasn’t as connected.

We can’t assume we know what each one of our students encounters on a daily basis. For example, we know through statistics and observation that some students may not have access to food at home.

If you are concerned about their educational success, then push forward and do not settle for a “let’s wait and see” mentality. If you are not happy with the response you receive from the school, then seek out the services of an educational consultant or advocate, even if to ask questions and/or get another set of eyes on the situation.

The subject of my last few blogs have dug into emotional support for our children. Please remember, our children will be tired both physically and emotionally! We need to give our children grace as they transition. Going back to school should not just be a relief for caregivers but an opportunity for our children to grow.

Anxiety that begins to interfere with everyday functioning can happen to our children as well. For example, children may consistently blurt out in class or constantly talk. More often than not, the adults misread this behavior. This could lead to the belief that the student is a behavior problem, is being disrespectful, lacks focus, or more seriously showing signs of A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) or A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

When a significant event occurs such as divorce, the death of a parent, or physical and/or mental abuse we tell ourselves that the “children are resilient and will pull through.” Children are resilient, but they still need tools that will help them cope with the trauma. Often what we believe are children being resilient is really a child packing away what happened and not addressing their feelings.

When a student continues to struggle with things like day-to-day readiness in the form of understanding their assignment notebook or assignments and homework within google classroom, have we assessed or reviewed why this keeps occurring?