The Fab Mom On 2: Tips For Setting Kids Up For School Success

Back to school is here, and it's time for parents to set  kids up for success.

First order of business? Create a homework station at home.

National PTA recommendations for assigned homework time are 20 minutes beginning in first grade and increase 10 minutes for every grade thereafter. Some kindergarten classrooms have started assigning 10 minutes of homework per day to cultivate study habits early on.

Depending on your child's school and classes, they might have more. Create a special homework space in your home. It doesn't have to be big or elaborate, but it should be a place that is specifically designated for homework to make your child comfortable and happy while they get the job done. Lakeshore Learning offers colorful and creative organizational tools for supplies and projects made especially for education, and has locations across Southern California. Bonus tip? Let kids have plenty of playtime after school before diving into the homework duties. Most educators suggest giving their brains a break right after school so they may be refreshed to start working again with a clear head. How would you like to get home from work, only to be told that you have to start working immediately again?

Second tip? Get ahead of the paper clutter.

Paper piled on countertops is the most effective way to confuse our brains to make us feel disorganized. Stay on top of the teacher/school handouts and get rid of them as soon as you can. The most effective rule for me has proved to be "touch it once:" Read it, mark it on your calendar, sign it and then get rid of it immediately.

As for younger students' artwork, post it on the wall and enjoy it, and then don't be afraid to discard it when the next one comes around. Save the extra-special pieces, like the ones with their handprint, and hang on to the rest virtually using the Artkive app ($4.99 on iTunes). Artikive allows parents to snap a picture of the art or assignment, automatically organize it chronologically via the app and then turn it into a picture book if you choose.

Lastly, don't be afraid to let our kids fail.

A recent study from Stanford University finds that kids who figure out how to manage minor failures during the school years are more successful later in life. Allowing our kids to feel uncomfortable from time to time and teaching them to fail forward or learn from mistakes builds resilience and capability that goes beyond what the classroom teaches. New York Times best-selling book The Gift of Failure, written by NYT writer, educator and parent Jessica Lahey, outlines true-story downfalls and costs for fearing failure in school, and describes how parents' interference with teachers, sports, social relationships, homework and day-to-day classroom happenings are curbing children's abilities to learn how to overcome obstacles on their own.

Jill Simonian is a Parenting Lifestyle Contributor, appearing on CBS Los Angeles every Wednesday on News at 5pm and Friday mornings at 6:45am. Her personal blog is TheFabMom.com. Follow Jill on Twitter @jillsimonian and connect with her on Facebook.