How to Motivate your Kids for School: 3 Things to Tell Them When School Starts

First of all, IT FEELS LIKE FALL AND I AM ALIVEEEE. If you know me at all, you know this weather truly sparks happiness. I can’t help it, it’s just biology that I hate summer. And now that school has officially started back, there are a few things we’ve been going through during this season of life, that I have learned from a motherhood perspective.

We have dealt with some friend excluding behavior and initially, it broke my heart. Let me start off by saying, my kids do not exhibit this behavior and know to play with everyone. So they were so confused when this has happened in BOTH their friends circles. I know it’s life and it happens, but it was a hard lesson and experience as a mother. No one wants to see their kids hurt over something we have no control, especially the actions of other people.

So as we are going into the school year, here are a few things we teach in our house. My kids will always be the safe friend, never the bully. They will have been taught better. We will also continue to push our values as a family so they have confidence in themselves.

3 Things to Tell your Kids as School Starts:

1. Everyone can play together.
2. This is something I told Elston when girls in her class told her they weren’t going to play with her that day, and she repeated it to them. Omg I cried and cried for days over this, but I just have to know that this will stick with them as they continue to grow with friends, and eventually be a good friend when it matters.
3. It’s not a big deal. This goes for a lot of things, but Jackson takes things very seriously and gets upset when things don’t go his way. We remind him of everything that is wonderful in his life so he doesn’t focus on the little things getting him upset.
4. We are very proud of you. We make a big deal out of a lot of accomplishments that they do, but basically use a ton of positive reinforcement when they show leadership, kindness, intelligence, independence, really anything. We are always trying to boost them up and give them all the confidence to walk into the world with their head held high. There are a lot of times I see them both get nervous and second guess themselves, so I know it’s my job to boost them up (in a realistic way). Something that gives me so much peace is that Jackson does have the confidence to usually walk into a room knowing absolutely no one, and come out with 5 best friends. He makes friends easily and loves being the center of attention (i suppose the apple didn’t fall far), but his confidence in himself allows him to have the courage to know he is enough.

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Robert and I are obviously learning every day, and the kids are teaching us everything to then be the actual teachers. What an interesting cycle of life, everything we are learning from them… and our own mistakes/short comings in life haha.

We try to apply it all carefully and thoughtfully, as the way we raise them is the most important focus that we have. We read a quote a few years ago, that had told a story, but the main point was that little children do not know what we know with decades of knowledge and experience, so we have to remember that and apply it when tackling parenting. They only know what we have shown them in their 3-5 short years on this earth. It has become something I always think about. We don’t have all the answers, but this is where our hearts are.

The rest of these photos are when Ashley and I did a collab for our Style Has No Size for Buru. It was fun and chaotic!

Shop everything below, my headband turban is from Walmart!

I did find 4 awesome headband turban options exactly like mine on Buru’s site!

Shop more of my Favorite Headband Turbans: