School is starting in just one and a half very short weeks. I’m excited that I’ll have my days devoted just to work, since the kids won’t be home. But at the same time, I worry. They’re getting older and Big Bro is starting 8th grade. Can you believe it? Well that’s scary to me, because I worry that my innocent little boy will become not so innocent and start hanging around with the wrong crowd.
Teen statistics are quite scary when you look at the numbers. So many kids are into drugs, alcohol and other things that steer them wrong and the dropout rate is insane. 1 million students fail to graduate high school each year! I surely don’t want either of my boys in that statistic or any other for that matter. That’s why I keep a close eye on them and try to instill certain values that I hope for them to carry throughout their lives.
But at the same time, we can’t just turn a blind eye on other kids – our children’s peers. These kids are our future and whether they are our nephew, sister, child or neighbor, we should at least try to make a difference and steer them into the right direction. I get that you may not all have the time that you think would need to be dedicated. But that’s the thing – not much time is required to help. Simply sharing a meal, offering a tip of advice or just being there can make a world of difference to someone.
You can also help during this back to school season by participating in an online supply drive put together by Boys & Girls Club of America and their long time partner Disney. They’ve got a pop-quiz game that can help you donate supplies to your local BGCA! A donation of supplies will be made for every 5 correct answers!
I played and it was pretty fun! I didn’t get every answer right on the first try, but I was able to keep trying and I actually helped donate supplies! I might have even squealed with delight!
There are also a ton of tips, tricks and advice topics on the BGCA website. These ideas can be a great resource when planning to send your child back to school. I found some great tips including 10 Ways to Help Your Child Set & Achieve Goals, which I’ve shared below! Don’t forget to check out Boys & Girls Club of America for even more great information!
- Discuss the importance of goals with your child.
- With your child, set appropriate goals for him or her. Begin with two or three goals.
- Develop a goal achievement plan ? set a timeframe for completion, identify resources to support the attainment of the goal and obstacles to be overcome.
- Together, create a step-by-step action plan for achieving each goal.
- Recognize any and all progress through verbal praise or incentives.
- Establish a regular time to talk about progress on goals.
- Set family goals and work together to achieve them.
- Be a positive role model. Share personal goals and strategies for attainment.
- Create a goal corner on your refrigerator or family bulletin board. Post a current goal for each family member in this space.
- Talk with your child’s teacher. Make sure the goals you set support classroom efforts.
