Tips To Count-On for Back to School Count-down Professor David Demko AgeVenture News Service 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1 ... BLAST-OFF ... back to school. Yes, it's that time again. Boomer Parents who have youngsters headed back to school this Fall are counting down the days, hoping that they ... and their child ... will be prepared for a new school year. If you count yourself among those parents with school age children, here's a count-down that you can count on from "Weekly Reader" CEO, Peter E. Bergen. Bergen (photo) offers "10 Ways to Help Your Child Start the School Year Right". You remember "Weekly Reader" (WR), don't you? What Boomer doesn't. In fact, three out of four American adults have thumbed through an issue of WR in school days past. Today, seven million school age youngsters read it every week. Reader statistics like that are the envy of every publisher, and WR has been setting reader records for nearly one hundred years. In fact, Weekly Reader is the largest and oldest publisher of classroom periodicals. Weekly Readers' mission has not changed since Charles P. Davis founded the first Weekly Reader Corporation publication, Current Events, in 1902. Davis' first editorial of May 20, 1902 set the tone that carried the publication all the way through the this century and into the new millennium. "Every issue of our newspaper will have something important to tell to boys and girls. It will awaken their interest in the great world in which they live, give them a broader view of life, fit them for good citizenship, and help equip them for success." That's enough nostalgia for the time being. Back to those "10 Ways to Help Your Child Start the School Year Right". That's the stuff that Boomer Parents seem to need right now, especially since the beginning of school can be a time of excitement and apprehension for millions of elementary school students. The tips address both obvious concerns, as well as, a few gems you may not have thought of before. Here goes. 01. Help your child adjust to a regularly scheduled bedtime and wake-up call. Start the schedule several days before school opens in order to make the routine run more smoothly. 02. Arrange a special day or two to get ready for school. Take your child for a hair cut. Inventory clothes and decide what your child needs. A whole new wardrobe is not necessary, especially since children grow quickly. A few well chosen items are a smarter choice. 03. Buy a good quality backpack that will hold up for 10 months. Look for strong fabric and zippers. 04. Buy a good quality lunch box and talk to your child about choices for food. 05. Have your child participate in getting ready for school. Let your child help pack a lunch or lay out clothes. Each evening have a family time for cleaning up and getting everything in place for the next day. 06. Encourage your child to socialize with other children in his or her class. Making friends with other children in the class will give your child a sense of security and companionship. 07. Create a homework center. Stock it with supplies needed and a good lamp. Make sure it is not near the television. 08. Encourage your child to share what he or she is doing in school. Ask questions that help your child describe his or her school day. Talk about subjects he or she likes. Try to determine whether your child is having any trouble. 09. Praise the projects your child brings home. Your child is likely to become more comfortable in an environment he or she perceives to be positive. 10. Get involved in your child's school. Offer your special talents or simply your physical help. Make a point of establishing a relationship with the teacher. Great suggestions. No surprise, though. Weekly Reader (WR) has always been there for Boomers. First, as kids, and now, as parents. And, it seems that with leaders like Bergen, we'll be able to count on WR in the future. Like when the first Boomers see their grandkids head-off to school. Bergen has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Weekly Reader Corporation since 1998. His track record includes a CEO post at Krames Communications (1992-97), as well as positions at Newbridge Communications and Macmillan Book Clubs. He began his career at Doubleday and Company. Peter received his bachelor of arts degree from Denison University and his MBA from Syracuse University. He is married and is the father of a teenage daughter. Image credits: Weekly Reader.