'Back to School'.. SEE full guide to mothers: Just be there!

Cairo – September 13 (SEE): ‘Back to school’ is an occasion that some parents either celebrate or are cautious about. For working mothers, the time their kids spend away from school is almost a problem. Those mothers might not have the luxury of taking vacations from work to make sure their kids spend their summer time in learning beneficial things; gaining skills or practicing sports. They are, accordingly, waiting so badly for schools to open their doors once again before the kids.

For non-working mothers the summer time might not be as problematic as for other working moms. They might easily manage their times and home duties, give more attention to their kids and help them to acquire as much as possible of benefits during the summer. For those mothers, getting their kids back to school might be some how worrying. Non-working moms, generally, place more importance and emphasis on this ‘back to school’ phase where their kids would spend 7 to 8 hours away from them.

For the majority of kids, schools are not the best option to spend time into. They like to sleep and wake up without fixed schedules & go out to clubs or meet friends without finishing homework assignments first. They like free times without any sense of commitment. That’s why it’s not an easy job for mothers to prepare their kids to go back to school.

In successive articles, ‘SEE’ will advice mothers with tips to help them prepare their kids to the school time but also help them to have a good and successful experience there.

The content of these articles are excerpted from experts’ advices published at ‘kidshealth.org’, where they start by stressing that the support from parents is key to helping kids do well academically. They advice ways parents can put their kids on track to be successful students.

Kids do better in school when parents are involved in their academic lives. Attending such gatherings is a great way to get to know your child's teachers and their expectations. School administrators may discuss school-wide programs and policies, too.

These gatherings also are another way to stay informed. These are usually held once or twice a year at progress reporting periods. They are chances to start or continue conversations with your child's teacher, and discuss strategies to help your child do his or her best in class. Meeting with the teacher also lets your child know that what goes on in school will be shared at home.

If your child has special learning needs, additional meetings can be scheduled with teachers and other school staff.

Knowing the physical layout of the school building and grounds can help you connect with your child when you talk about the school day. It's good to know the location of the main office, school nurse, cafeteria, athletic fields, playgrounds, auditorium, and special classes.

Homework in grade school reinforces and extends classroom learning and helps kids practice important study skills. It also helps them develop a sense of responsibility and a work ethic that will benefit them beyond the classroom.

In addition to making sure your child knows that you see homework as a priority, you can help by creating an effective study environment. Any well-lit, comfortable, and quiet workspace with the necessary supplies will do. Avoiding distractions (like a TV in the background) and setting up a start and end time can also help.

A good rule of thumb for an effective homework and/or study period is roughly 10 minutes per elementary grade level. Fourth-graders, for example, should expect to have about 40 minutes of homework or studying each school night. If you find that it's often taking significantly longer than this guideline, talk with your child's teacher.

While your child does homework, be available to interpret assignment instructions, offer guidance, answer questions, and review the completed work. But resist the urge to provide the correct answers or complete the assignments yourself. Learning from mistakes is part of the process and you don't want to take this away from your child.