Get your child ready for the first day of school

Brakpan Herald shared the following tips to help you get everything ready for your child’s first day of school: 

• Pack a healthy, decent lunch. Don’t add strange food, snacks or drinks that are hard to open.
• Explain to your child what school means and what they’ll be doing.
• Meet at least one of the other parents.
• The first day of school should rather be a process than just a day. Prepare your child before the first day comes.
• Don’t make promises that you don’t have control over, such as “You’re going to make a lot of new friends”.
• Remember to check your child’s schoolbag everyday for any important letter from the school.
• Label everything that belongs to your child.
• Allow your child to take a nap after school if he/she is tired.
• Some of the children will cry on the first day and that is normal. Some of the parents will cry as well, but try not to cry in front of your child.
• Make sure your child knows that he can ask for permission if he needs the toilet urgently and goes everytime when the teacher tells them to.
• Give yourself a time limit when you say your goodbyes. Lingering can make a child anxious.