The December holidays are over and it’s time for the anxiety and excitement to begin for youngsters and parents ahead of starting the new school year. Seeing that this big step might seem scary, here are some helpful tips, according to the website PBS Parents, for both parents and children to set their minds at ease:
Meet the new teacher
One of the dominating fears for every little Grade 1 pupil is who their new teacher will be. Make sure you break the ice early by meeting the teacher at the open day or if you have missed that opportunity, most teachers will be more than willing to answer calls or emails or even set up a meeting. If it is not possible to contact the teacher directly, locate a picture of your child’s teacher on the school website or in a previous year book. If your child can put a face to the name, he or she will feel much more relaxed on the first day of school.
Tour the school
Do not miss the open day to make sure you and your child get a good look at what the school grounds look like. To familiarise your child with the environment will definitely decrease their stomach butterflies and set your mind much more at ease to know where your child will be going to class and playing. If you had missed the open day, go any other day the school is open. By touring the school, you can assist your child with exploring where the tuck shop and bathrooms are and help them find their school desk in class. If you are unsure yourself of where, take the opportunity to ask older school children to assist you in a mini tour around the school.
Connect with friends
Having a friend in advance can make a world of difference on your child’s first day of school. Ask the new teacher or headmaster in for some of the parents contact details and set up a play date for the kids. This will also create the opportunity for yourself to get to know other parents. If your child does not feel isolated once you leave him or her behind, the tears will be a lot less.
Tool up
Make sure you know exactly what your child needs to kick off the new year. Having your child feel prepared will make them feel much more confident. The moment a child feels embarrassed, the first expression will be big crocodile tears so make sure you avoid this by kitting them up in the right way. Although you need to keep the basic supplies in mind, make your child feel excited by buying an extra cool notebook or book covers of their favourite cartoon. These simple little pleasures will make the going back to school process exciting for them.
Practise
Making sure your child knows how to use all of their new school gear will give them more confidence to use it. Make sure they know how to use all their new supplies to create a sense of enthusiasm for them to use it. Explain how to hold a scissors and to remember to close the cap of the glue. By explaining what all the stationery will be used for will encourage them to want to use it even more.
Avoid last-minute drilling
Make sure your child gets a clear message by giving them a five-minute warning before it is time to stop playing. Make sure they understand how rules work so that they do not feel overwhelmed when they are told they can only eat or play at certain times.
Ease into the routine
To switch from late nights, sleeping-in and no-bathing piggy nights to a list of rules, can be stressful to any child. Be sure you start easing your child in to a routine a week or two in advance to make sure they understand the importance of enough sleep, healthy food and having a bath. Routines make children feel comfortable and establishing this in advance will decrease the chances for a first-day-of-school mayhem.
