How to Ease Back-to-School Anxiety

Most kids have mixed feelings about back-to-school time. Excitement at reuniting with friends not seen all summer and the fun of picking out just the right back-to-school wardrobe, lunchbox and backpack, can be tempered by worry over learning new information or relearning lessons forgotten over summer months.

You can help your child face the first day back to school with enthusiasm rather than anxiety. Education experts generally agree on some basic tips:

* Set an example and talk a good game. Approach back-to-school preparations with gusto and a sense of fun. Point out to your child all the things he or she liked about school last year, and be sure to emphasize the exciting new experiences in the year ahead.

* Never tease your child about, or criticize him for, his anxiety over going back to school. Instead, suggest ways to make him more comfortable - from a pre-first day tour of a new school building or classroom, to taping a favorite family photo inside the front cover of his text books or a few tutoring sessions to brush up on some basic skills.

* At home, foster an environment conducive to doing homework. Set aside a spot - in the child's room, the family room or another part of the house - where she can have privacy and quiet, but still have ready access to your help if she needs it. Be ready to answer questions or assist, but never do her homework for her. Turn off the TV, radio and computer - unless she needs to use the Internet for research, in which case you should supervise her online activities.

* Help older students and the whole family track exams, project due dates and extracurricular activities with a wall calendar. Hang the calendar in a spot where  everyone will see it every day.

* Ensure the whole family "works out" year-round to exercise learning skills that are fundamental to all subjects - like reading. Read aloud with your child every day. Let your child see you reading daily. If your child is struggling with reading, or simply needs to improve his or her reading speed, don't hesitate to get help - whether it's from a tutor, online or through an educational software program like eyeQ.

Based on the research of Dr. Akihiro Kawamura, one of Japan's leading brain enhancement researchers, the eyeQ program teaches children to replace sub-vocal reading ("hearing" the words in their head) with a whole-brain approach to reading. Children learn to process several words at once, then entire lines and eventually entire paragraphs.

EyeQ helps readers develop conceptual skills through 12 seven-minute sessions that emphasize exercising the eye muscles and improving the eye-brain connection. The program also tracks the user's progress and offers levels appropriate for children and teens. On average, users of the software program improve their reading speed two to 10 times. Short sessions, bright graphics and text from popular literature make the program appealing for children.

To learn more about eyeQ, visit www.eyeQ.tv.

Copyright © 2006, ARA Content