Starting School
 Starting school can be a traumatic experience – for mums and even dads. They know it is good for the child, they know they will have fun, make friends and learn but that doesn’t stop them wanting to curl up in a ball and cry for the rest of the day once they have dropped their child off.
Starting school is the beginning of a new era in your child’s life. For the first time they will have someone other than mum and dad who will influence them greatly. Even if they have been in daycare or preschool, school is going to be different.
Parents want their child to settle in quickly, to grasp the change and enjoy school.
What can you do to help the transition from home/pre-school/daycare to ‘big’school?
Well like most things in life preparation is the key. Here are ten tips to help smooth the way to an enjoyable first day.
* Enrol - Place your child at a suitable school, and sort out all the paperwork the year before. This could be the local school, a church school or even a really expensive private school – wherever you send them, if you are happy with where they are going they will know, and they will be happy.
* Orientate - Most schools have a kinder orientation programme that runs in the year prior to school. They take the mums and dads off and talk to them about school while the children have the chance to be in the classroom and get a feel for what it is like.
* Discuss - Tell your child about going to big school, about all the things they are going to do and learn. How it will be great fun.
* Familiarise - Drive past the school regularly, go for walks to it. Depending on the school, you may even be able to play there after hours (check with the school first)
* Involve - Get children to help in the preparation required. Take them with you to buy the uniform, the school bag etc.
* Inform - Tell them that it will be five days a week, if they are going to be going to before and after school care, what friends they know will be there also.
* Practise - Try on the new uniform, carry the school bag, practise opening and closing lunchboxes, drink bottles etc.
* Be Enthusiastic - Even if you are really sad at the prospect of your child moving on to school, you need to let them think you are really excited for them. Tell them how happy you are that they have grown so beautifully and are now ready for school.
* Rest - Starting school can be very tiring, so try to reduce your child’s social schedule before school starts so that they are well rested. Make sure they go to bed early a few nights before.
They may not be able to sleep the night before with excitement, but at least if they have had a good nights sleep prior to that they should be OK.
* Plan - Have something organised for yourself to do after you drop your child to school on the first day. This stops you from lingering and making the transition harder for both of you, and also gives you something to look forward to in what may be a difficult day.
While it is a big day, if you and your child are ready it will be easier on you both.
P.S. Don’t forget to take the camera.
This article is courtesy of Gillian Cornwell of Busy Mothers |