August 21, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & II • Page 13 Heading back to school: Is your child’s mind ready? For most families, back to school means heading to the mall for school sup- plies: new clothes, book bags, binders, etc. Unfortunately, new gear doesn’t help kids prepare their minds for the new school year. Studies show that kids lose about 2.6 months worth of learning during the summer. This means that kids often spend up to six weeks reviewing and simply get- ting back into the swing of things when school starts again, rather than learning new material. Being ready to learn from the first day of school gives a student a considerable advantage over other students. A student who starts off the new school year ahead is more likely to stay ahead the entire year. While kids who keep learning all summer are cognitively primed for a better start, there is still plenty that parents can do right now to help jump-start their chil- dren’s minds for the new school year. Use the “S” word. Help kids get into the school frame of mind by talking about school. How many days until the first day? What are they looking forward to? What is their best memory from last year? Kids may need some conversational prompting, so reference highlights from last year, and be sure to keep it positive to build excite- ment. Hit the sheets. Nothing makes an early morning routine worse than a lack of sleep the night before. Kids need a full night’s sleep to stay mentally alert all day in class. Start implementing bedtimes now, even for older kids. It makes learning (and morning routines) that much easier. Get on schedule. The school year is all about scheduled timing. Reintroduc- ing reliable routines before school starts ensures there will be no adjustment shock when school bells ring once again. TV off, homework on. During the school year, TVs and computers are kids’ biggest homework distractions. Start eliminating bad homework habits by turning off the TV during the after-school hours, coming to the table, and engaging in brain-chal- lenging activities. Review. Pull out June’s report card to review teacher comments and grades. Talk to the kids about expectations, and have them write out some learning goals for the school year. This gets them thinking about grades, and it helps them take ownership of their learning process. Read. Regular reading keeps the mind primed for academics. Reading is the best-known way to develop vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, both of which keep the cognitive wheels turning and pay off big time in the classroom. This article was submitted by Reza Farahani of Grade Power Learning of Allendale. For more information about getting children ready for a great school year, call (201) 962-7777 or visit Allendale @GradePowerLearning.com.