When winter comes, it’s important to check your tires and make sure your vehicle is ready for the season. You want to be safe on the road and feel confident as you’re driving. When you don’t have the right supports or things aren’t quite in order, driving becomes harder. The same thing can be said about school and learning.
There isn’t a family out there whose home isn’t like Union Station at rush hour first thing in the morning. You are trying to get ready for work while trying to get the kids dressed for school while trying to find backpacks, laptops, and probably matching shoes... for both you and the kids. Who has time to eat food, let alone healthy food on rushed weekday mornings?! It is definitely an afterthought, and I get it! I’m one of those people, too. ‘Just get everyone to their intended destination on time.’ That is the goal.
As the days get shorter and the air a little cooler, signalling the end of summer break, you might be dreading the return of a hectic family schedule - the start of a new school year, the ramp-up of after-school activities, and perhaps some feelings of uneasiness having gone through the ups and downs of this past year.
Most of us have had the frustrating experience of asking our children questions and receiving one-word answers: “What did you do at school today?” The answer: “Nothing.” You want to engage your kids in conversation that lets you know what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, and whether or not they need support of some kind. So, it’s difficult when you hit one-word dead ends.
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