3 Ways to Mentally Prepare Your Kids for the School Year
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: Way back in 1995, long before Alan Ramirez joined the HealthMasters team, and even before he’d gone into the PT field, he already had a passion for service and a keen interest in physical therapy. But if you ask him, it was the encouragement of HealthMasters founder Louis Zuniga that spurred him into becoming the compassionate and experienced therapist he is today. “I was only 19 when I met Louis,” Alan says, “and he truly set the foundation for me as a physical therapist. But beyond that, he also provided me with a lot of wisdom and guidance in life in general. He paved the way for me, probably without even realizing it!” Now, Alan’s been in the field for 23 years and with our team at HealthMasters for nearly as long. He’s a refreshingly genuine guy, the kind of therapist who can instantly put a new patient at ease. “Of course, helping people get back to their normal lives is one of my favorite parts of my career,” he says. “But I also love the challenge of it. Breaking down all the components of an injury, determining where the problem lies, and mapping out a solution never gets old.”
“Do 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.
Meet Alan Ramirez
Skilled, Compassionate Therapist and Dedicated Family Man
Though he already has extensive experience guiding patients to a full recovery, he’s always looking for ways to improve his skills. Soon, he’s hoping to add an orthopedic manual therapy certification to his toolbox, a journey he hopes to embark on toward the end of 2018. As he puts it, everything he does is for his family. “All this is for them— even this certification,” he says. “With a 4-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a 17-year-old about to ship off to college, I want to live by example. Of course, I want more resources to do right
by my patients, but I especially hope to show my children that even their old dad can continue learning and bettering himself throughout his life.” “It may be a very ‘dad’ thing to say,” Alan adds, “but my greatest joy in life is to hear my kids laugh and to see them smile. If I can pass on any of the wisdom I’ve been so lucky to receive across my lifetime to my kids, my patients, or my peers, then I’ve done something right.”
2 • healthmasterspt.com
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