Back to School (continued)

If your kids or teens are home alone in the afternoons, it's important to establish clear rules:

• Set a time when they're expected to arrive home from school.
• Have them check in with you or a neighbor as soon as they get home.
• Specify who, if anyone at all, is allowed in your home when you're not there.
• Make sure they know to never open the door for strangers.
• Make sure they know what to do in an emergency.

To ensure that kids are safe and entertained after school, look into after-school programs. Some are run by private businesses, others are organized by the schools themselves, churches, synagogues, mosques, police athletic leagues, YMCAs, community and youth centers, and parks and recreation departments.

Getting involved in after-school activities:

• offers kids a productive alternative to watching TV or playing video games
• provides some adult supervision when parents can't be around after school
• helps develop kids' interests and talents
• introduces kids to new people and helps them develop their social skills
• gives kids a feeling of involvement
• keeps kids out of trouble (when unsupervised after school, they're at greater risk of being involved in crime; abusing alcohol, drugs, and tobacco; and engaging in risky sexual activity)

Be sure to look into the child-staff ratio at any after-school program (in other words, make sure that there are enough adults per child) and that the facilities are safe, indoors and out. And kids should know when and who will pick them up when school lets out and when the after-school program ends.

Also, make sure after-school commitments allow kids enough time to complete school assignments. Keep an eye on their schedules to make sure there's enough time for both schoolwork and home life.

Helping Homework

Love it or hate it, homework is a very important part of school. To help kids get back into the scholastic swing of things:

• Make sure there's a quiet place that's free of distractions to do homework.
• Don't let kids watch TV when doing homework or studying. Set rules for when homework and studying need to be done, and when the TV can be turned on and should be turned off. The less TV, the better, especially on school nights.
• Never do their homework or projects yourself. Instead, make it clear that you're always available to help or answer any questions.
• Review homework nightly, not necessarily to check up, but to make sure they understand everything.

Encourage kids to:

• develop good work habits from the get-go, like taking notes, writing down assignments, and turning in homework on time
• take their time with schoolwork
• ask the teacher if they don't understand something

To ensure kids get the most out of school, maintain an open channel of communication with the teachers by meeting with them throughout the school year to discuss your kids' academic strengths as well as weaknesses.

Most of all, whether it's the first day of school or the last, make sure your kids know you're there to listen to their feelings and concerns, and that you don't expect perfection — only that they try their best.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: September 2007