I sent my daughters off to their first day of school this week, what a wide array of emotions I experienced! I was excited, nervous, proud, unsure, confident and nostalgic too.

Do you remember your first day of school? My senses were overwhelmed with the feeling of new shoes and the weight of a back pack on my shoulders, the smell of the classroom, new books and paper, the bright colours of the new clothes. I can remember the nervous butterflies in my belly wanting so desperately to do well this year. Not just “Krystal well” but you know the recognized, “you did so well your classmates will think you are one of the smart ones” well. I remember the desire to fit in to the crowd, to feel like I mattered and to make a positive impact in the lives of those around me.

With the new school year comes a new beginning. What will your child’s new beginning look like? How will you equip your child to have their most successful year yet? I don’t mean in the sense of how many A’s are you going to make sure your child has. I mean how will you set up their week to make sure they are not overwhelmed by too many commitments?

How will you celebrate with them when they go out of their way to make a bully or the classmate who others think are weird, feel listened to? How will you talk to them when they get less than they would have liked on a test or assignment? How will you encourage them to take responsibility that is age appropriate?

Here are a few of my back to school resolutions.

1. I will read every day with my girls. (I found some chapter books on the bookshelf we can read together.)  From my work at Breakthroughs in Learning I know that reading together brings families closer and is the foundation for school success.

2. I will be more organized with my time so I am available for them. (I will be home after school to help them decompress.) Organization is an ability I want to model and develop in my children, even though it is not always easy.

3. I will ask for high and low reports every day. (What was the worst part of your day? What was the best part of your day?)

4. I will make sure they are prepared every day. (Before bed we will routinely check that they have their lunches ready and gym clothes, library books and planners are in their back packs.)

My daughters are entering grades 9, 7, and 2. I want to make sure they are going to experience the most success possible. I want them to love learning as much as I do. My oldest daughter has experienced the benefit of educational therapy for the last couple years and I will be looking into having my youngest assessed as well. I want them to know that the way they learn can improve. With an investment into their lives now, I know it will pay priceless dividends in the future.

From my desk to yours: Have a great back to school season and remember, today is a seed planted for your tomorrow’s breakthrough!

About the Author

From an early age Matthew loved to talk, and now he gets paid to do just that.

Having grown up with Learning Disabilities and overcome them, Breakthroughs is an opportunity for him to give back. Now Matthew is an Educational Therapist with over 20,000 hours of experience working with children and adults with learning challenges.

When not in the office Matthew can be found seeking adventure with his wife and children, preferably on a mountain or in a kayak.

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