Is your child's nervous system ready for "back to school"?

You're being bombarded with "Back to School" commercials. Your child's long school supply list seems like a daunting task. You're checking items off the list and organizing everything. But, have you checked their nervous system?

As a former School Teacher turned Teacher/Author/Speaker/Health Coach, I think of it as "escaping the matrix". Parents have massive amounts of tunnel vision when it comes to school. The students need the supplies, the clothing, and all their physical essentials. The energy is chaotic as you're going about accomplishing all of this and your child is along for the ride. We are running on "autopilot", so to speak, in the matrix that is getting ready for back to school.

• But once we step back and break free from autopilot mode, the question needs to be asked:

• "Is my child's nervous system ready for 'Back to School'?"

• "Does my child understand that they need to follow the teacher's directions?"

• "Do they understand they may be told 'No' to something they desire (Ex.. coloring in the middle of the math lesson)?"

• "Does my child understand that they may not get along with their classmates and they have to cope with confrontation and disagreements?"

• "Do they understand their learning will be assessed in the form of some sort of evaluation and they are going to have to cope with that process (paper quiz, paper test, virtual assessment, working 1:1 with the teacher)?"

This may seem like simple common sense things, but in my experience going back to the classroom temporarily, it not as common sense as you may think. Children come to school addicted to sugar/food dyes/junk food, and technology. When I was younger, my parents emotionally prepared me for school. "You have to do well" "You have to follow the teacher's instructions" This generation does not seem to have that preparation and it catapults them into chaos.

We have replaced basic social skills and academic fundamentals in the early grades in exchange for "rigor". "We have to get them ready for their future!" Okay, but what good is the rigor if they can't have a misunderstanding with a classmate without a meltdown?

On Social Media, there is a war between "schooling" and "anti-schooling". I'm in the middle. Should children learn from experience? Yes, I'm a huge supporter of homeschooling and hands on experiences. Do children also need structure to know what is expected of them? Also, yes. A good friend said it best "Teach them to read, write, do math, and let them find their passions". But even teaching them to read, write, and do math comes with its challenges with the state of this generation.

I think this whole thing can be solved by going back to the basics : Teach children what is expected of them, how to cope with uncomfortable situations, and teach them self-reliance. I'm also for rigor and advanced academics when they are ready for it, but much of this generation needs to get off processed foods, learn to calm and regulate their nervous systems (quiet time, meditation, prayer, laying on a mat, whatever works), learn to accept structure and routine (mixed in with some hands on, fun experiences), and and build a healthy foundation so they can actually learn.