It may not feel like it yet, but summer is coming to a close, and summer break is ending along with it. Soon, the kids will be back to early-morning breakfasts before the school bus arrives and late- night study sessions. Thankfully, there are some steps your family can take during these closing weeks of summer to ensure your kids hit the ground running this school year. Set an Early Bedtime For many kids, summer schedules are flexible. They may have become accustomed to sleeping in and staying up late without any obligations. Getting back into the rhythm of the school year can take some getting used to. In fact, according to psychologist Cherie Valeithian, it can take upward of two weeks to properly adjust to a new sleep-wake cycle. So why not give your kids a head start and ensure they begin the school year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Outline a Homework Schedule Resuming a homework regimen can be a difficult transition for some kids. Late summer, when they don’t have assignments to worry about yet, can be a great opportunity to help them prepare a study schedule. Ask the following questions to help them get started: “Do 3 Ways to Mentally Prepare Your Kids for the School Year On the cover, we mentioned the great schools of Connecticut, but we also discussed how our state is more than just UConn and Yale. Many of the smaller colleges are developing services that have an enormous impact on our community. For example, look at what Trinity College is doing to help desperate homeowners with the crumbling foundation crisis. Christoph Geiss and another professor at the small liberal arts school in Hartford developed a new method of testing that aims to turn the tide on the wave of hopelessness crashing on Connecticut homeowners. Most of us know about the epidemic that plagues the foundations of homes in the area, but not a lot is understood about the testing. It’s time-consuming, costly, and deflating. But this new testing method can change all that. Traditional TestingMethods The current testing method involves drilling into the foundation for core samples from multiple spots in the home’s foundation to find a mineral known as pyrrhotite. Often, the mineral’s existence is evident by simply looking at the cracks in the concrete. If they are horizontal, there’s a good chance your foundation has been compromised. The new testing technique uses this information combined with scrapings from the exterior that are tested for their integrity.
you want to dive right into homework when you get home? Do you need to accommodate for a sport or extracurricular activity? Do you work best when doing your assignments in one large chunk, or would you prefer taking breaks in between assignments?” Your kids may find that last year’s schedule doesn’t work for them this year. Emphasize that this is okay; part of growing up is learning how and when you work most effectively. Don’t be afraid to help them switch things up as the school year progresses. Ask Your Kids How They Feel Maybe your kids are excited about the school year. Maybe they are anxious, or perhaps they’re just disappointed to see summer vacation come to an end. Starting a dialogue about the aspects of school your kids are looking forward to and those they’re dreading can help you dispel myths and identify problem areas. More than anything else, this can help your kids feel at ease about the coming year.
HOW THIS TEST COULD HELP DESPERATE HOMEOWNERS One Step Forward in the Crumbling Foundation Crisis
Cutting the Bill in Half Traditional “coring” can cost anywhere from $4,000–$5,000. The new method cuts that price in half. Trinity College developed a two-stage process to test your samples for any existence of pyrrhotite, all for just $2,000. The StateWill Split the Cost There is no way to ease the pain of this epidemic. Replacing
a foundation can cost around $200,000, and if the foundation is compromised, there’s no way around it. But the good news is that the state does have a rebate you can use to have this new test done. After
applying that, the cost goes down to $1,000. It may not be much consolation, but at least it’s money back in your pocket.
Attorneys Paul Levin & Kelly Kasheta
2 • (860) 560-7226
www.connecticutinjuryhelp.com
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