As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. In fact, the Early Childhood Education Blog reports that the more involved family is, the more likely the child is to pursue academic success and enjoyment. However, the new school year can be a time of many uncertainties, which can be incredibly challenging if your kid has a history of nontraditional learning.

If you’ve been wondering how to prepare and ease your child into the new school year, Homework Acers is here to help. Here are some successful strategies to help students not only succeed but thrive this school year.

Fuel Your Child’s Mind (and Body)

If your child is struggling in school, it is likely they are overwhelmed. The new school year, especially, can come with ups and downs in social relationships, new teachers, and learning adjustments. Try to keep up a foundational routine, so they know what to expect from their home life.

Minor lifestyle changes can be highly beneficial for troubled teens as well. A nutritious breakfast is an absolute must to help your kids power through their day with increased energy and productivity. Ensure they’re eating fiber and protein-rich breakfasts to boost attention span, memory, and concentration.

Also, ensure your kid is getting a decent amount of sleep each night. According to the Sleep Foundation, most children need anywhere from 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep for an optimized day. Considering that lack of sleep is linked to fatigue, decreased attention, and irregular performance, this could very well be the key to your child’s academic success.

Give Your Child an Outlet

Every child needs a healthy outlet that isn’t school or high pressure. Developing a hobby or pursuing a creative task is seen as the ultimate stress-buster. Why not use this as a way to help your child learn to unwind?

Create a space where your child can pursue their passions. If you have a spare room or even a free garage or basement, convert it into a multi-purpose room for a craft or hobby. Depending on your kid’s interests, it could be a paint room, reading nook, or crocheting corner.

Help keep this space clean and decluttered as much as possible. Clutter can lead to anxiety, which is the opposite feeling you want your child to experience in this space. Help your child to keep the clutter under control, and prioritize cleaning the room with carcinogen-free cleaners. Even though you might think spraying your favorite lavender room deodorizer is helping provide a calming environment, it may be leaving toxic fumes instead. Check the products you have on hand to ensure they are healthy for your family.

Offer Your Support

All you can do is be there. Offer your child help with studying – but try to foster independent thinking during your support as well. The pressure of getting good grades is at an all-time high, VeryWell Family reports. Therefore it is critical to be empathetic of your child’s experience. You can help out by breaking their course load into smaller, more manageable chunks, so they aren’t trying to cram it all in one day.

Be sure to set up homework expectations according to a schedule so your child is well prepared for upcoming assignments. So get all the color-coded binders, sticky notes, and highlight pens ready as a fun way to show your support! And remember – every child is unique and has a different style of learning. Your best bet to cater to their needs is to create a personalized plan optimized for their learning abilities.

When their homework – or patience – exceeds your ability to help, connect your child to tutors from Homework Acers. They can help your child come up with a writing plan for their assignment and guide them through to submission.

Consider an Emotional Support Animal

There is a growing body of evidence showing that animals can be incredibly good for our mental wellbeing. Although you may have said no to family requests for a dog or cat, it may be time to reconsider getting a pet. Fortunately, lots of different animals can be effective at this role, from dogs and cats to bearded dragons and rabbits.

Once you find a pet that meets your living and allergy needs, find the right pet food to keep your new pet healthy and strong. Each animal requires something different, but give this a try if you find yourself with a new dog – grain free kibble options that are delivered to your door.

Help Your Child Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms

School is a high-pressure, high-stakes game that involves a lot more than just report cards. Ideally, your child should be growing and developing in all facets of their life. The best way you can help them? Give them your unconditional love and support, always. But also help them to develop healthy stress management and organizational strategies because, as adults know, stresses don’t disappear after high school graduation. Give your child the emotional support and the tools that they need to succeed even during high stress times.