Collaborare
Home and School - Partners for Success
“Back to school!”
Depending on who you are, your phase of life, and your own school experiences, that phrase brings to mind excitement and anticipation, dread, or maybe a mix of both! At Covenant, we want all of our students and families to feel the former - YAY! It’s time to go back to school!
As Covenant is a collaborative school, valuing home and family, we have a unique opportunity to integrate our experiences to benefit our students wholly. Below are some practical ways your family can set up your child, and your whole family, for success both academically and personally.
Read God’s Word and pray together EVERY DAY. Your child’s faith, and yours, will deepen by this one simple act of faithfulness. To know the Lord, we must know His Word.
Early bed times are a must. Rest is a gift from the Lord. “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” (Genesis 2:2 ESV) Slaves work around the clock; we are heirs to the promises of Almighty God, and that includes the gift only nobility can claim: rest. Sleep times must be protected in your schedule or the world will take them. Good sleep promotes all factors of health and vitality for children and adults. Wake times are typically set by work and school schedules, so evenings must be arranged to allow enough time for bedtime routines and sleep hours. It will mean saying no to some good things. It won’t last forever, but you will come to find a good childhood schedule is a relaxing rhythm for your family, and the rested, more emotionally regulated family it produces is worth protecting. Children aged 3-5 require 10-13 hours of sleep, including naps, per day, slowly increasing wake time to adults (over 18) who require a minimum of 7, according to Mayo Clinic research.
Good habits start at home. Whether it's learning proper manners, how to eat at a table in a restaurant, finishing your homework correctly before free time, or going for a walk everyday, your children learn more from you by what you DO than what you say. Leave “margin” in your schedule for lessons - which the younger the child, the more often come at inopportune times. Sometimes an opportunity to practice good habits might require more time than you planned. Being rested, being consistent, and giving your family time to parent (as a verb) are investments which will yield exponential benefits even sooner than you may imagine.
When things get out of whack, remember the “Rule of 3.” Three concentrated days is usually all it takes to get things back on track when you notice they have veered off course. Everyone gets a little too busy sometimes and the good habits slide. When you notice obedience taking a little too long, chores not completed well, or a regression in potty training, whatever the case, mark off three consecutive, concentrated days to reign in the problem. Your family will benefit from your intentional effort.
Expect obedience. Your children were GIVEN to you by God as their steward on this earth, but they belong to Him. The fewer the words the better when dealing with children. Give a simple instruction and follow through. A parent should have a gentle SPIRIT, but discipline is training, and that is hard work. We have been given God as our model for how we are to parent, as He our good Father. He is patient but does not tolerate nonsense. It is our duty to keep our children on the path which leads to life, and that begins with obedience the first time, every time, and with a happy heart - something we can model for them in our Christian walk!
Enjoy your children’s childhood. Older parents always say, “Enjoy it! It goes so fast!” while you are knee deep in runny noses and just want to go to the bathroom alone. The thing about life is you get it all at once. You get all the “mamas and daddies” all at once. They will end. You get all the baby snuggles at once. They will end. You get all the “Watch me! Hold me! Hold my hand!” at once. They will end. Be patient with childhood, what a gift it is to be trusted to teach your children EVERYTHING a thousand times. One day, not too far off, you will look at your children at eye level, and if you’ve done your job well, they won’t just be children you just love, but really, really like.
We’re here for you, and we’re so grateful and honored your family has chosen Covenant to partner with you in the discipleship of your children - for their good and God’s glory. It’s going to be a great year!
Welcome, BACK TO SCHOOL!