Tips for Testing

Here in Michigan, we are a few days in to the MEAP test, a mandatory standardized test for public school students in grades 3-9.  As school counselors, we have a short list of tips for parents to help their children give 110% on MEAP days.

1. Get a good night's sleep.  Sounds pretty simple, right?  Well kind of.  With the consolidation of bus routes many schools have had to stagger their start times.  In the same district there may be an elementary building with a 7:45am start time and another with a 9:15am start time.  The kids in these two schools should not have the same bed time.  Work backwards.  Look at your school's start time and subtract 10-12 hours for elementary students and 8-10 hours for middle school/high school students.  This is a good tip for every day, not just a MEAP day.

2. Eat a good breakfast.  The Standard American Diet tends to consist of sugary cereals and pastries.  These foods tend to give a quick burst of energy but taper off quickly.  The best way to get your student through the morning is to give them a more protein-heavy breakfast such as scrambled eggs or yogurt mixed with a handful of raw almonds.

3. This one will depend on your school rules.  Studies have shown that chewing gum while taking a test can improve a student's test scores.  Mints have also been shown to have this effect.

4. Talk about the test with your child the night before.  Reassure your son or daughter that you know they will do well if they give their best effort.

5.  Make school a priority in your home.  This is not just a tip for test days, but one that will make every day a priority for your student.

Bathroom Blues

Fact: our bodies must rid themselves of toxins.  Fact: in order to rid our bodies of toxins, we must keep our routes of elimination open and empty them as needed.  So what is one disturbing trend we have noticed in the first few weeks of school?  Kids are not going to the bathroom!  In fact, some kids are holding it to the point that they can't hold it anymore and wet their pants like they are in pre-school.  Maybe it's just the middle school age, but it seems like this year there are a lot of kids who are afraid to tell a teacher when it's an emergency.  This is not healthy for the student, physically or emotionally.  What can we do?  First and foremost, let your student know that when a teacher offers extra credit for unused bathroom passes that does not mean to save all your passes at all costs.  Secondly, remind your child that if it's an emergency they absolutely must let the teacher know.  "Wait until Johnny gets back" is just not an acceptable answer in an emergency because let's face it, who knows how long Johnny will be gone?  And finally, if they tell the teacher it's an emergency and the answer is still no, better off to just leave the room and deal with the school's behavioral consequences than to deal with the social and emotional fallout of an accident past the age of 6.  Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know!

Back to School Anxiety?

As the days of summer come to an end, many kids are becoming increasingly anxious about going back to school.  Maybe they moved to a new neighborhood or they are transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school.  Bach Original Flower Remedies makes a great, all-nature product called Bach Kids Rescue Remedy (they also have a formula for anxious adults) to help reduce emotional stress and create a feeling of calmness.  I love the adult version of Rescue Remedy and always carry it in my purse because you just never know what you will encounter throughout the day.  Check it out and let us know what you think! http://www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com/en-us/us/our-brands/bachoriginalflowerremedies/new/bach-kids/