You heard right - mere days to get the kids washed, packed, and assembled for another year of working their brains. Now, they may be running around the pool as you read this, or just home from camp, so its up to you, as the responsible adult, to psyche them up for a productive year inside those hallowed halls.
Reviewing last years notes is essential for all students. Studies show that children lose 30%-40% of knowledge gained from the previous school year over the summer. Often, the first month of classes are used to review and assess students. Having your kids do some review on their own, before school starts, will refresh their memories and give them more confidence come September. You may shy away from being the Summer Grinch, but there are ways you can get the work in, and avoid stealing the final bits of their holiday.
Plan some fun events around studying. It doesn't have to be expensive to throw in cool things to do around their effort. An hour study period could buy your student time at the park, or time with their favourite game or comic book. Arrange it as part of their regular day, so it doesn't seem like a bribe.
Younger kids love when learning becomes a game. Math questions could be turned into a treasure hunt where your child searches through the house for mathematical clues. If they're budding artists, have them draw a picture and then label the objects. Perhaps you could paste words all over the house that they can read to earn points for small prizes.
Lastly, there is shopping. Buying things is not a cure all tonic, but a few well chosen Back to School items can kick some joy and anticipation into upcoming classes. After they finish their studies, head for the mall. To empower your kids, let the buying decisions be a collaborative effort; you set the spending limit and the items, and let them choose the colours and styles.
Your main mission, however, is getting the kids on board the Review Train. Phrasing and enthusiasm is everything. If you phrase it as a pain in the butt, that's how the kids will see it. If you tell them that it's something neat - because they'll be prepared and that it might actually reduce their work come September - you'll probably have a much easier time selling the idea.
Good luck, and enjoy the rest of the season!
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