If you are one of the many parents who chooses to drive your car to bring your child to school, you are not alone. Walking is just not an option for some children, especially in bad weather, and buses are not something that every parent wants their child to be on. If you are choosing to drive your child to school, here are a few things you will want to keep in mind when you get them ready to make the morning commute.
Make Sure They Have Their Homework
This might sound very obvious, but if they are missing homework, you don’t want to have to double back to get it. You also don’t want to drop them at school, return home and get the homework, and come back again to drop it off. Even if you don’t live very far away from the school, it becomes more of a headache than is necessary. Make sure they have their homework before you leave the house, so you don’t have to think about the repercussions, or have your child upset because they might lose a letter grade due to not turning homework in.
Ensure They Have Everything They Need for a Field Trip
If your child is going on a field trip, make sure they have their permission slips, sack lunch, and anything else they might need in order to take part in the field trip. Sometimes children may be anxious or excited about going on a field trip, and thus may forget things that they need in order to go on the trip. If you can, lay things out the night before, so you and your child won’t have to worry about what they need to have before they leave.
Talk With Your Child on the Ride Home and Back
Your child may be tired on the way home from school (or even going there), but talking to them about what they are going to do today can not only help establish a bond, but give you a clue as to what they are learning at school. On the way home, you can ask them about their day. This will be helpful in finding out if they are having problems, having a good time at school, or just need a parent to talk to about anything that may be going on.
If you plan on driving your child in the car to and from school, you might want to take a little extra time to plan and prepare things so you can ensure they are ready for a successful day. This includes making sure they have homework for class so you do not have to turn around and bring it back to them. It also involves helping them to get ready for field trips so they can take part and are not left behind. Finally, take advantage of this time with your child, and find out how their day is going by talking in the car before and after school.