How can I keep my child motivated as we come to the close of the school year?

I once saw this High School student wearing a T-Shirt "Got Senioritis?" I still chuckle thinking about it. If your child is a High School Senior, I have no advice for you except you better forget about it and let them go wild, didn't you? For the rest of us, the close of the year can produce fears, anxiety, sadness, excitement and pride and that's just the parents!

No matter your emotions which are probably mixed, it is important to really watch and support your child in the home stretch of the school year. The New York City Public Schools now give their exams mid year so the test stress is gone at the end of year, however it is important to remind your child the work for the year is not over. Stay focused on homework, reading 20 minutes a day, look for ways to weave math into everyday tasks and stay on top of the usual routines even though you might stay out a bit longer in the school yard as the weather gets better. You can begin to provide your child with books that might challenge them beyond their current reading level. If your child's school levels books using the Fountas and Pinnell method (www.FountasandPinnellLeveledBooks.com) , you can find the book in Barnes and Noble in the teaching section. The book lists exact children's book titles and their corresponding levels and gives lots of other important information, certainly worth a look for the list in the back. Play simple math games in your spare moments together or add a "Game Night" to your weekend routine using board games that are educational such as Scrabble, Boggle, bananagrams, Yahtzee, etc. I see families playing board games in park fields while having a picnic such as The Central Park Meadow, Riverside Park. If your child is having real difficulty focusing on their work, it might help to set up a simple reward system. Create a simple chart that states exactly what you want your child to achieve, for example, "Each time Jordan completes his homework with out whining he will get a sticker. After 10 stickers, Jordan can choose a book of his choice." I like to offer books and magazines as rewards. In the case that books as rewards does not work for your child, agree on a small reasonable item beforehand.

Watch how much pressure you place on the next grade. Saying things like, "Next year third grade is going to be really tough." or when your child is having a tantrum "They won't tolerate this baby behavior in kindergarten next year!" statements such as these can backfire and produce needless anxiety. Instead, take your cues from your child. If they bring up that they have concerns for the next grade, assure them that you and their current teacher think they are ready and even though they might be afraid, it's okay. If they are going to a new school assure them that you have done your research and you have worked very hard to find them a school where they are going to feel safe.

Make sure you keep the lines of communication open and watch for changes in behavior. Often children act out because they are unable to express their feelings. Be supportive and encouraging. Finally, there is an entire two months before the new school year begins and we will have plenty of posts addressing how to keep up the academics over the summer!