When the first day of school looms on the horizon, it can fill us with a million worries. How will my child react? Will they like their new school? Will they make friends quickly? Or will they have trouble settling in?
Does talking about starting school early on make my child less anxious about it?
When you have the whole summer in front of you before your child starts school, it can be tempting to start talking to them about it from early on. You may hope that this will give them plenty of time to get used to the idea.
However, preparing them too early can mean that the butterflies set in. It can make them even more nervous as there has been such a long build-up.
It’s often best to leave it until a week or two before their first day of school, to start talking about the big change.
Hopefully, your child will already have had a chance to visit their new school and meet their new teacher and classmates. This alone should make them a bit aware of the big change ahead.
When you do start talking about starting school with them, here are some easy ways you could do to prepare them for it.
Seven easy ways to prepare for the first day of school
To help out with this momentous occasion, here are some tips on preparing your child for the first day of school and how to make it special.
1. Make a ‘toy school’ to show your child what it will be like. Set up a little toy school with toys and make a register. Play together, talking about what might happen on a typical school day.
2. Read books about starting school. Share lots of books with your child about starting school.
As you explore these stories, talk about the exciting things your child will get to do in their new school, the friends they will meet and all the fun they will have.
3. Practice key skills. Get lots of practice at home with the practical skills they will need to do on their own once they enter a busy classroom.
These can be simple tasks like:
• Opening their lunch box and juice carton or water bottle.
• Taking off and putting on shoes by themselves (easy shoes like those with a single velcro strap help with this).
• Eating by themselves with their fingers or with cutlery.
• You could also talk to them about how to ask their teacher for help if they are struggling.
4. Let them join you on school supply shopping trips
Take your child with you on shopping trips to choose a new school bag, pencil case, uniform, lunch box and water bottle. Choosing these items will help give them ownership of them and could build up their excitement as they embark on this new journey.
Once you have all the essential kits make sure you label everything. If you don’t it will probably get lost at some point and you’ll find yourself rooting through the musty lost property basket in the school reception.
5. Make sure they can use the toilet independently
Practice how they should ask the teacher to go to the toilet when they need to go. Once on the toilet, show them how they can wipe themselves well with lots of practice runs at home. If you have a little girl remind her to always wipe from front to back. Go through the whole routine together including washing hands and point out all the steps they go through when they go to the toilet.
6. Teach them to take turns and share with other children. Sharing and waiting their turn are vital skills for children to gain. You could set up playdates or take them to playgrounds or playgroups during the summer where they can meet other children and share toys. Help them to practice sharing and talk about why it’s important to do so. Show them how they can take turns playing with a toy.
7. Get them familiar with their new school
You could walk past their new school with them and stop and notice the front doors and the playground. Talk about the first day and who your child will go into class with – perhaps it’s with a friend they already know.
Your child might have had a chance to visit the school and their classroom before the holidays and met their teacher and classmates. You could talk to them positively about that day and ask your child what they liked most about their class.
Also, ask if they have any worries. It might be something as simple as not being able to reach their peg to hang up their coat or what they do if they need the toilet.
If they have anything on their mind, talk through what they can do and how to resolve any problems they might face.
Enjoy the moment
It’s a momentous day and the start of a brand new adventure.
Your child might be nervous as well as excited and making too big of a fuss of it can make them all the more anxious. It’s often best to be positive but low-key.
Enjoy the moment, take lots of photos of your child in their new uniform with their shiny new shoes and oversized bag, but try to keep the excitement to a minimum.
Starting school is a huge landmark and chances are your child might have struggled to sleep the night before.
A hearty breakfast and a big hug might be all they need. Be guided by your child and how they feel in the morning.
• Source: masandpas.com
