Back to School Priorities

by Meagan Waite, Assistant Director - My Discovery Destination!

August can be a very exciting time of year. But before we delve into the reasons behind that, let’s look at the word “excited.” 

“Excited” is synonymous with enthusiastic, animated and wildly happy. But, it also has a close meaning to these words: agitated, nervous, and emotional. Because of the very nature of the event, going back to school can cause all kinds of feelings. And, different children are going to have different reactions to the pending affair. What is a parent to do? 

I think the key here might be one word: understanding. Remember what it was like when every fall you had to return to the grindstone with a new class, new teacher, and sometimes an entirely new school? While that might be long in your past, you can still empathize with what your child might be going through. Exercise patience, show a little mercy, and be compassionate with everyone involved, including yourself. 

I was recently introduced to an interesting concept, which proves that one is never too old to learn something new. When constructing a new building, “footings are an important part of foundation construction. They are typically made of concrete with rebar reinforcement that has been poured into an excavated trench. The purpose of footings is to support the foundation and prevent settling. Footings are especially important in areas with troublesome soils” (concretenetwork.com). The foundation is built on top of the footings, and the building is framed on the foundation. If the footings are faulting, the foundation won’t be too far behind, and the framed building will be unstable; no one will want to occupy that building. 

If we look at a relationship as a building under construction, the footings would be the understanding that children receive from their parents. If we, as parents, do our best to lovingly understand our children, then they will learn that they can trust us. Love will grow naturally from that trust. Trust is the foundation of our building, and love is the frame on which it stands. 

So while you’re busy doing all the things you need to do to go back to school–the clothes, backpacks, lunchboxes, school supplies, snack bags, schedule changes, sports registration, and music lessons– remember what REALLY matters...YOU.

Remember that the Discovery Family Adventures are always available, with new Adventures being released weekly, to help if you are looking for ideas and resources.