Relationship

Preparing your child for that first day at school

Everyone’s first day of school is stressful, but perhaps even more so for parents. It is never easy to prepare for such a big event, but the main thing is not to show that you yourself are stressed or nervous about the big day.

Act relaxed and give off lots of positive vibes early enough, so your toddler doesn’t feel like it’s something to be scared of. Being organized for the first day of school is crucial to help make the process less stressful.

Take your child shopping with you and let him or her participate in making decisions for school life. These could be the uniform items you would like, because there are so many options here, from the PE kit to shorts, shoes, socks, t-shirts, sweaters, cardigans, skirts, etc.

Your child will enjoy choosing things to take with them. A school bag is a vital piece of equipment that they will need to use a lot and therefore should be highly appreciated. Other items such as PE bag, pencil case and stationery can also be chosen together.

What this does is makes your child feel more a part of the whole process and helps him accept the adjustment phase. If you shielded them from this aspect and pretended it wasn’t going to happen, then the shock will only take its toll even more. So asking them to help shop for and choose their own school kit gives them a sense of control and independence that can ease worries.

One of the easiest ways to prepare your child is to simply sit down and talk with him about starting school. Talk like an older child and explain school as a fun place to learn and do activities with other children. Hopefully, your child will have been to daycares and play centers, so they are already beginning to transition to days away from mom and dad.

Making it sound more adult can sometimes work with certain children, who are always striving to be more independent. If your child is especially nervous, reward charts can be especially helpful. Using stickers as small rewards for achievement may be enough to get your child started in school.

Ultimately, your child should be excited about the great school, meet new friends, and take their learning a step further. Allowing them to attend a trial day before the first day can help them even more. Remember, speak positively about school at all times and let them know how mommy went to school and she loved it! Your child will be fine once the first day is over and probably won’t be able to wait until the next day.

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