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,
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 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
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
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.
Resuming a homework regimen can be a difficult transition for some kids. Late summer, when they don’t
What Makes Thursdays the Best?
Ashton Johns’ Amazing Balancing Act
Ashton divides her time between two other dental offices. But she says Briarfield is her favorite office to work at! This is very high praise when you consider how long Ashton has wanted to work in dentistry. “When I was little, I had to have braces twice,” Ashton says. “But I didn’t mind. I loved going to the orthodontist. The work they did there fascinated me. Once the doctor even let me work on my own teeth. My parents knew it wasn’t normal for a kid to love teeth as much as I did, so they set me in the direction of working with teeth for a living.” Initially, Ashton thought about becoming a dental assistant, but when she shadowed a dental hygienist at a dentist’s office, she found they did a lot more than hygienists at an orthodontist’s office. Ashton says her fate was sealed when she watched the hygienist polish a patient’s teeth. From the time she was 13, Ashton had her sights set on being a dental hygienist.
Ashton’s love of dentistry is part of what makes her such a great hygienist. The other part comes from how much she truly cares about her patients. “When patients come in with so much stuff on their teeth and they tell me they only brush once a day, I really encourage them to make a point to brush at least twice. Not everyone listens, but when patients do take my advice to heart, during their next visit I always see a huge difference in their teeth. It’s such an accomplishment to know I’ve been able to help my patients, because I know what a positive impact that one change will have on their health.” In her free time, Ashton enjoys swimming and rollerblading, though she admits free time has been pretty scarce recently because she’s busy planning her upcoming wedding! Ashton and her fiancé will be saying “I do” this December. Next time you’re in the office on a Thursday, be sure to congratulate her!
If you’re someone who has always made their appointments on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, there’s a chance you’ve never met one of our wonderful dental hygienists, Ashton Johns. Since joining the team last September, Ashton has been coming in on Thursdays to take care of patients. Hailing from Archbold,
2 · www.briarfielddentalcare.com · 419-866-6985
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online