Talk to your kids about starting school

Bill Spitzer

P & I Coordinator Parenting Resource Center

Fall is certainly in the air and I hope everyone enjoyed that last hurrah before school began this past week.

Back to school can trigger different responses in different people. Parents sometimes experience relief that their children will now have structure back in their daily routines. Students may feel excitement to see their friends again on a regular basis. However, some may feel anxiety about going back to school.

I was talking with a coalition member the other day and he shared that to this day he gets a knot in his stomach this time of year. He attributes that feeling with the changes that occur between the freedom of summer vacation and the structure of the classroom setting.

Back to school is a great opportunity for parents and grandparents to have a conversation with their young students about how they feel about beginning a new school year. After all, attending school on a regular basis is important step in the development of our young people.

Let’s go a step further on the importance of attendance at school. You may have heard of the terms risk and protective factors. Simply put, risk factors are behaviors and actions that make you vulnerable whereas protective factors help build defensive mechanisms. A report from the State of Massachusetts listed regular school attendance as a protective factor in reducing substance abuse. The report continued by listing positive attitudes towards school and bonding at school also help build substance free students.

Also in the report, lack of commitment to school was listed as a risk factor.

September is attendance awareness month. Our collaborators with Austin Aspires are organizing an effort to raise awareness about the importance of attending school. For now, here are a few tips from attendanceworks.org about how you can encourage strong attendance at school. First, set a regular bed time as well as a morning routine, next, lay out clothes and backpacks the night before. Lastly, don’t let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind that a stomach and headache can be a sign of anxiety.

Parents can seek advice about ways to help ease that anxiety by talking with teachers, school counselors or even other parents.

So by just getting your student to school is a simple way you can help your student do better in school and help reduce substance abuse in our community.

Bill Spitzer is the Planning and Implementation (P & I) Coordinator working closely with APAC (Austin Positive Action Coalition). APAC and Bill will be working with our schools and community as part of a 5-year grant focusing on Positive Community Norms. Feel free to contact him at the Austin High School 507.460.1800 ext. 0361 or via e-mail bill.spitzer@austin.k12.mn.us. This grant is made possible by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, ADAD and hosted locally by the PRC. To learn more about the Parenting Resource, visit their website at www.familiesandcommunities.org

News

Jackson leads Blue Devils to a win over Mesabi Range

Mower County

A home for women: Bright Life House will be a sober house filling a need in Austin

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

News

Climate contradictions key at UN talks. Less future warming projected, yet there’s more current pain

Mower County

Caution paramount as ice season gets underway

Mower County

First United Methodist to host organ concerts

News

House expels New York Rep. George Santos. It’s just the sixth expulsion in the chamber’s history

News

Standoff with armed man outside Rochester shopping complex ends in self-inflicted gunshot

Mower County

Merry & Bright Night returns for holiday fun

News

A house explodes and bursts into flames in Minnesota, killing at least 1 person, fire chief says

Mower County

Riverland Shines a ‘Spotlight’ on theater students

News

DFL lawmakers eye big boost in child care spending

News

Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford, dies at 100

Mower County

Senate Capital Investment Committee gets a look at tomorrow in visit to the Hormel Institute

Mower County

Christmas in the County to be held Dec. 9

Mower County

Austin Living: Jane Taylor Academy of Dance brings 22nd annual ‘Nutcracker’ performance to Paramount Theatre

Mower County

Flower Basket Program kicks off 29th year

Mower County

Recycling Center addition progressing to spring completion

Business

10 Austin-area families to receive kits to support transitions into stable housing

Mower County

HI scientists publish paper on how immune systems react to canine parvovirus vaccination

Mower County

SEMAC announces Jan. 10 grant application deadline

Education

Give the Gift of Education this holiday season with MNSAVES

News

Woman’s decades-old mosaic of yard rocks and decorative art work may have to go

News

Rosalynn Carter honored by family, friends, first ladies and presidents, including husband Jimmy