2 | Back to School 2018 | Siuslaw News Making Back to School Fun P arents, rejoice! Summer is over and it’s time to send the kids back to school. While you may be dancing a jig, chances are your children may be a little more glum. Here are some ways to cheer them up and make going back to school easier. ESTABLISH TRADITIONS Start your own back-to-school traditions like a special first-day breakfast or picture to get the year started on a good foot. You can also break out balloons or other special gifts to get the kids going and ease the jitters on the first day. If you can, spend extra time helping them get ready; maybe with a new hairstyle or a new backpack to make the day fun. STARTING A NEW SCHOOL If your child’s starting a new school for the first time, there are going to be some extra jit- ters on that first day. But there are some things you can do to take the sting out. If you can, try to tour the school before the first day so she’s familiar with the layout, if nothing else. Meet her new teachers and, if possible, make some con- Pack the weekend before school nections with kids her age starts with your child’s favorite activities. Hit the park, the beach, that go there. go camping, anything to take Remember that while it their mind off the looming start of may seem trivial to our school and end the summer with adult problems, the first day a bang. Just make sure you’re of school is a huge event in back home in time for them to your child’s life. Keep lines start the year with plenty of rest. of communication open GET ON THE GOOD FOOT and give them plenty of It may seem like common love during the first couple sense, but with summer coming of weeks. Give them time to to a close and everything that entails, it might be hard to process their feelings and remember. Make sure your kids encourage them to talk to get plenty of rest and a good, you about it. Listen to your healthy breakfast before they children and take their feel- head out of the door on the first day of school. Have them lay their ings seriously, even if their stuff out the night before so missing favorite pencil there’s no last-minute scram- pales in comparison to ble. what you deal with every day. TAKE A HOLIDAY While it may seem trivial to our adult problems, the first day of school is a huge event in your child’s life.