As the school year winds down, it’s easy for kids to check out from their school routines. Spring breezes tempt them, and there’s nothing quite as enticing as hours of outdoor time with friends. Keeping your grandchild, niece, or cousin engaged and current with homework, projects, and so on may be challenging. Here are a few tips to help you help them finish the school year strong.
Tips to Finish the School Year Strong
1. Stay in touch with the teachers.
No matter what your student’s progress has been like this school year, sending an email sharing your observations and what is going on at home may be helpful. If Johnny claims no homework every day and runs out the door as soon as he gets home, let the teacher know. When you see your grandchild struggling to be excited (or even compliant) about spending the day in the classroom, let their teacher know. Invite the teacher’s suggestions for how to work around your grandchild’s distractions. Collaborate with the teachers to see your grandchild’s list of assignments.
2. Express empathy for your grandchild’s struggle.
Try to remember what it felt like when you were a kid, when the whole world was bursting with blooms, and the days were long and sunny again. Be patient with your grandchild’s “spring fever” and share a story from your childhood or youth about being ready to finish school and have the whole summer off.
3. Get creative with some solutions.
While you are in story-telling mode and your grandchild’s heart and mind are open to you, ask if they would be willing to brainstorm creative solutions. It’s critical that you hold the line of expectations for their responsibilities. Where can you loosen the line and offer other ways of accomplishing those duties?
- Can you help them set up a homework station on the back porch so they can be out in the fresh air while still attending to their primary responsibilities?
- Or can you give them an hour to ride their bike, walk the dog, or fish at the creek before starting a book report?
- Now that the days are longer, maybe they would benefit from a later bedtime, and they could use that time to take a long run or walk after dinner.
Your goal is to offer reasonable suggestions that both respect their excitement for a beautiful day while still being accountable for their schoolwork.
4. Designate outdoor time together.
Whether you take a family walk, play basketball in the driveway, or draw sidewalk chalk masterpieces, get outside with your grandkids or nephews. Take deep breaths, stretch in the sunshine, and show the kids that you, too, recognize the lure of this time of year. Take the time to enjoy it together and point out what is blooming on your walk, how quickly the grass is growing, etc. Practice some childlike wonder together by pausing to see what’s coming to life all around you.
5. Make the outdoor time work for you.
It might feel a little sneaky but consider using these times outside together to also point out how much this child or youth has grown over the winter months. Tell them exactly how you see them growing and blossoming at home and at school. Validate that they are longing for the end of the school year. But you believe they’ve grown so much this year, and you are convinced they can finish strong.
Let them know that they will not be left to their own devices to finish strong and that you will be with them to figure it out. Share some of the suggestions the teachers have offered. Keep inviting their input on how to survive the end of the year and how to do it well.
Spring Can Bring Hope!
No matter how challenging your grandchild’s school year may have been, you can use the fresh newness of spring to turn things around. When they know you are with them, willing to help them, and looking for ways to support them, your grandkids, nieces, or cousins will feel the hope of the spring season and the hope that they can finish the school year strong!