But autumn is also a good time to get back to some life goals and projects.  So if you’re raising children, don’t just phone in fall.  Harvest the opportunities and potential.  This week’s BreakAway BreakThrough offers some suggestions.

 

BABT9:  Back to School Basics … 11 Ways to Make Fall Functional & Fun

 

• Allow some weeknights to be NOT routine.  Have friends over, play a game, see a movie.  
• Teach useful life skills like putting out clothes the night before, making the bed in the morning, and packing a healthy lunch. 
• Want to paint, pound, write?  Follow your offspring back to class yourself. 
• Be the solution:  Volunteer at your kid’s school or wherever more heads are needed. 
• Make homework a priority—not a punishment—and help out.  (You may relearn many things you have forgotten!) 
• Schedule BreakAways to avoid a gruesome grind; plan vacations and breaks and use them as carrots and rewards. 
• If your children have activities, be a supportive parent—but try not to let youth orchestra or hockey become too penalizing. 
• Talk about the last and next summers; embrace the seasonal differences and plan cool stuff as an antidote to the school-year schedule.
• Remember that book learning is only part of the experience; take a daily interest in social, emotional, physical and spiritual development. 
• Relax:  Let every day have some down time and join in on the goofing off and loosening up. 
• For God’s sake, say a prayer at bedtime and preach good sleep. 
• Keep education in perspective:  Your kids can thrive even if they don’t become valedictorian or get a Div-1 scholarship.  (Just like you!)