Happy August, friend!
Is the thought of back-to-school prep making you want to hit the snooze button? Your student’s summer reading list, forgotten math concepts, and school supply shopping can feel overwhelming and you may want to procrastinate, but trust me: if you start now and break it down, it’s a lot more manageable than having to tackle everything in the last week of summer.
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As the CEO of Curious Cardinals, I’ve spent my proverbial 10,000 hours guiding thousands of students and parents; I know what it takes to achieve success, and I’m here to help your child thrive this school year.
Here are 4 pieces of advice to make this back-to-school season your best one yet :)
1. Empower your student to set legitimate goals.
I recently found the goals list that I set as a 10th grader: get all A’s, surpass my cross-country mile time, be the best debate team captain, and of course: stay away from boys who have a history with my friends 😂
Me at summer dance camp circa 2012.
It’s important to make your child feel like they’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to goals. Instead of setting goals with them, let me tell you bluntly: stay out of it! Empower your student to set their own personal goals, or outsource that conversation to someone they can relate and look up to… maybe a cool mentor?
2. Get organized!
It’s the perfect time to declutter, donate outgrown clothes, and organize closets and study spaces. Make it a bonding activity if possible, whether they are passionate about color-coordinating their clothing, finding the perfect school supplies, or just making more room for themselves as they’re growing and evolving as people. This could even be as simple as discarding old papers from the previous year. Organization is not just a chore but a skill, so make sure that your student is proud of the results!
I was a 3rd child with a combo of hand-me-downs and new uniform picks, which I probably spent hours organizing. It made me feel SUPER excited for 5th grade.
3. Don’t mess around when it comes to reviewing your schoolwork before the start of the year.
In junior year, I was one of the very few girls in honors math, so I already felt like I didn’t belong, but then I failed my first test and dropped down to regular math. I remember hysterically crying in the classroom. While it was easy for me to do summer reading with my similarly eager bestie, if I had spent 15 minutes per day reviewing math from the previous year or beginning to go through the new textbook with a mentor, the story may have been different.
Me doing summer reading in August 2012 with my bestie. Summer reading homework, but make it fun!
Your student may sigh at the word “homework” unless they see the value in it. Suggest finishing that homework packet alongside one of their friends, or enlisting the help of a mentor to help them get that head start.
4. Savor the final days of summer.
As a student, I cherished these final days before school started. It was precious. August is like the Sunday of months, full of anxiety for what’s to come and sadness for what has passed. So say yes to one more swim, a popsicle on the sidewalk, some guilt-free sleeping in, and let yourselves enjoy that quality time when you have it. 
Me and my best friend from kindergarten (who is still a best friend to this day) cherishing a summer milkshake after soccer practice in Sag Harbor! August, 2011.
With gratitude and curiosity,
Audrey Wisch, CEO & co-founder, on behalf of the Curious Cardinals team
