California Youth Services Back-to-School Checklist
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California Youth Services Back-to-School Checklist: Navigating Challenges and Fostering Success
As the back-to-school season approaches, families are gearing up for a fresh start to the academic year. In collaboration with California Youth Services, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting young individuals facing substance abuse, academic hurdles, behavioral issues, and mental health struggles, we're excited to present a comprehensive back-to-school checklist. This checklist goes beyond the usual school supplies and outfits; it addresses the diverse challenges that families may encounter during this transition. Let's dive into the checklist and explore how California Youth Services' mission aligns perfectly with ensuring a successful and fulfilling school experience for every child.
Getting back on schedule:
Work on setting bedtimes / study times.
Setting clothes out the night before.
Getting lunch and snacks set up (funding cafeteria accounts / getting food ready at home).
Helping your kids manage their commitments:
Keep an eye on extracurriculars (sports, clubs and AP classes*).
Create and manage a family calendar to show the weeks / month at once and it needs to include study time.
Go over your child's schedule with them and help them keep it realistic. Manage disappointments if they will just be too busy and they did EVERYTHING they want.
Do not ignore problems:
Remember you have the best insight to your child, schools are not always aware of everything.
Be proactive for potential issues and talk to your childs school/teachers if you have concerns. It is better to say something sooner than later.
YOU are your child’s advocate.
Talk about changing friendships:
Talk to your kids about how relationships can change over the summer, sometimes your BFF last year might seem distant this year or even have new friends.
Being able to share friends and having friends that overlap is a skill that is important to learn.
Not all problems need fixing; many times kids just want parents to VALIDATE their feelings. So just listen.
Do not share YOUR anxieties:
Parents can get caught up in their kids social lives because they want them to make good friends, but kids do not always understand this interest.
Instead of asking ‘did you make any new friends’, try ‘how was your day ?’ or ‘name 3 good things that happened today’. Remember that for anxious kids making friends is hard enough already.
Talk about the good stuff:
Talk to your kids about things they have enjoyed in the past when going to school
Ask them what activities they have liked in the past or maybe who they missed over the summer
Talk about what they are looking forward to in this new school year, if they plan on some different activities or they want to try an new sport.
* AP CLASSES - The CEO of College Board David Coleman's call to ‘Stop the Madness’ and having colleges consider ONLY 5 AP scores for admissions decisions.
As we prepare to embark on another school year, California Youth Services' mission of addressing life's challenges related to substance abuse, academic hurdles, behavioral issues, and mental health struggles shines brightly. This back-to-school checklist, crafted in collaboration with the organization, offers actionable steps to ensure a successful and well-rounded academic journey for your child. By fostering open communication, providing essential support, and embracing positive experiences, we can collectively make this school year one of growth, resilience, and achievement.
Share this vital article about teen drug addiction from our blog to help us raise awareness and support those who need it most.
California Youth Services is a world-class substance abuse nonprofit, offering quality programs related to substance abuse, academic challenges, behavioral and mental health struggles.
Our Mission: To provide education, assessment, crisis intervention and counseling that assist families to address life’s challenges related to substance abuse, academic challenges, behavioral and mental health struggles.
