Editorial: Set students up for success

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With school again in session, students can renew friendships, catch up and wear new clothes, all of which may be fun and exciting for them.

But there are some stresses related to the new school term for parents, including shopping, planning and scheduling. Plan ahead and involve students in the process to save money and have a chance to teach some valuable life skills, such as financial know-how, time management and successful work habits, according to i-Parenting award-winning author, speaker and mother Lori Mackey.

The following tips are intended to make the transition from summer ease to productive school year as simple as possible.

—Plan and make a list. Spending is easy, but to save money takes a plan. First things first, make a list of supplies and clothing needed for school and then create a second list of wants.

—Take inventory. Go through clothing and supplies, separating what stays and what goes. Make a list of needs, which will be bought, and wants, which can take a back seat for now.

—Make it fun. Go on a scavenger hunt around the house to find any leftover supplies from last year, then check those off the list and—voila!—money was just saved. Practice this with clothing, shoes and accessories, and be amazed as to what’s really unneeded. Set a budget with the new list, use cash and don’t forget coupons.

—Have a plan. Limits should be set before heading out the door. It’s fine to say there’s $100 to spend this week and help the student spend it wisely.

—Pass it along. Take the items that have been set aside and pass them along to a charitable organization. Teaching students to give to others builds character and appreciation for what they have.

—Routine, routine, routine. Creating good habits can be easier than one thinks. By putting a routine in place, a daily chore can be turned into a good habit. In a perfect world, students will wake up on time, eat and be ready for school. But if that’s unlikely, creating a visual daily chart with what is expected in the morning, after school and before bed will give students the structure they need to create successful habits.

—Rewards. Ever wonder how one teacher can control 30 students? Rewards! Students love rewards and they love a challenge. Set up a reward system at home and allow students to attain rewards for success.

—Spread it out. Students live in a world of instant, fast, got-to-have-it now! They don’t know what delayed gratification means. Spread out the back-to-school purchases over several weeks or months, if possible.

—Setting goals with allowance. Implement an allowance system, which will allow students to earn money for the items on their wants list. Allowance can help parents and their students become consistent with what is expected on a daily routine. When students succeed at goals, and finishing a job, they feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. Set students up for success and everyone wins.

Tags: opinion, editorials, education, school