Back to School - 5 Steps for a New Beginning!

This is me on my first day at school! I think this time of year as the children start the academic year is a bit of a magical time with the anticipation of a new year of learning, growth and experiences.

As a parent, it is a huge milestone as your young one starts school for them and you. The steps are just as momentous if your young person is transitioning from primary to high school, high school to sixth form or as the older ones move off to University.

It is a time where we focus on helping our youngsters manage the transition but for parents too this time is often a time considered as a fresh start and a chance for new beginnings.

Here are some ideas to help you explore how you could consider opportunities for growth, learning, personal development and a new beginning too.


1. A Blank Page Awaits
Take a fresh notebook and consider this to be like the story of your life. Just like an author starts a new chapter; you can too. Reflect on what you want to achieve over the next academic year and even over the next decade. Think about big dreams and write a narrative of your dream. Perhaps draw a picture of how it will be when you achieve that dream.

2. Set Clear Goals
We all need clear, achievable goals to motivate us otherwise your dreams may seem out of touch. What would you like to achieve by the end of this calendar year and over the academic year? Break down your goals into smaller, manageable chunks with target dates and be clear on your next steps. You will be able to ensure you are making progress and can celebrate your success when you achieve them.

3. Organise and Manage your Time
It can be easy to allow the day to day activities to take priority over those dreams and goals. When the youngsters’ are involved in lots of extra-curricular activities you may find you are just running around all the time. Managing your time effectively by using the waiting time for yourself or learning to say no when necessary, will allow you to set aside time to work specifically on your personal growth and goals.

4. Seek Support and Collaboration
As a parent it can be easy to think you have to do everything yourself and yet we all need support to share the load. Remember to engage with family members to take responsibility for some activities or chores. Building that sense of teamwork and doing things for others is always a good lesson to learn at any age. Remember, youngsters appreciate having a sense of responsibility even if they don’t always show it!

5. Embrace a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset introduced by the psychologist Carol Dweck is valuable in any context; at school and in following our dreams. The growth mindset is the belief that abilities can be developed and that setbacks or failures are seen as a learning and an opportunity for growth helping build resilience. With this mindset, you are more motivated to step out of your comfort-zone and you will achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Why not take this back to school season as a time for you to start afresh. Just like the turning of the seasons, this time brings the promise of new beginnings and endless possibilities. So as you send your youngsters back to school remember that this is a time to embrace change, seize opportunities and embark on a journey of growth and self discovery.

If you are ready for that new journey, message me now and let me be YOUR Catalyst for Change!