Starting school is a huge milestone in a child’s life, filled with excitement and even a bit of nervousness. Let’s prepare your child for school, empowering them to thrive academically, socially, and communicatively. Here are 5 tips to set you and your child up for a successful start to school!
1. Talk about it!
Starting school brings on a whole new world. You can help ease this transition by talking about the concepts of school with your child. Discuss all the new things your child will encounter at school; daily routines, exciting activities, and new people they will meet. In some instances, you can even schedule a tour of the school. Familiarizing your child with school and the school environment helps ease some of their nerves and builds excitement for the upcoming adventure.
2. Let them Help!
Involving your child in the preparations for going back to school is so important. Especially if this is their first experience going to school. Offer them choices in their backpack and lunch kits. While looking at a list of school supplies provide them opportunities to pick out crayons, markers, tissue boxes, germ-x… all the things! Providing these choices gives them control of something about this upcoming experience. A little control goes a long way. They may also like helping you prep their supplies for the classroom such as labeling supplies or packing them to be brought to school. Another way to help your child have a great first day of school is by letting them choose their meet-the-teacher or first-day-of-school outfits. (even if it means you choose a few options and they decide from your choices) Involving your children will empower them. They will feel a part of these major changes in their life and it will help ease the transition.
3. Practice New School Routines
Practicing your routine for school is another great way to have a first day of school. School brings a big change to your daily schedule. To help with this major change, start practicing your school routine. Practicing school routines may include earlier bedtimes, waking up earlier, and practicing how to eat lunch at school (verrry important skill). Practicing the school routine will also help your child begin to understand expectations for before and after school routines! If you know your child will have homework in the upcoming school year have them complete some type of worksheet or academic activity at the time they will be doing homework!
When it comes to practicing “lunchtime” for school, you can have your child practice opening their lunch kit and any sort of containers in the lunch kit. This is a brand new skill and it’s important your child understand how to access their food correctly.
Other great concepts your child should be familiar with when starting school include: asking permission, cleaning themselves after the restroom, washing hands, redressing after using the restroom, tying [or putting on] shoes, or being able to sit and complete a simple task!
Your child doesn’t have to master all of these skills prior to starting school – they will grow and learn these skills as the year progresses. It just never hurts to have some prior knowledge beforehand!
4. Know Where You’re Going
Another way to have a great first day of school is to be familiar with the school itself! If you are able, drive by the school your child will be attending before school starts. If possible, walk around the parking lot to explore the buildings you can see from the outside. Talk about the playground, show the door where they go in, or see school buses. By allowing your child to become familiar with their school it will help that transition to a new routine. Remember how exciting it was to meet your teacher before school started? Well, share that opportunity with your child! Let them carry in the backpack, put their school supplies where they belong, introduce themselves to the teacher, and maybe even meet a few new friends!
5. Acknowledge Big Emotions
Big emotions can happen in those few days leading up to school and especially the first day. It’s only natural for your child to be afraid of starting school- this is a whole new world for them (and you!). Starting school for the first time brings on big changes and sometimes, big emotions. If you prepare yourself in advance for the emotions coming (for you and them) you will be better equipped to handle them when they show up.
What emotions can you expect? All of them– fear, excitement, sadness, anger… they might all show up. Fear and excitement will probably be the most common in your child- while for you it might feel more like excitement and sadness. Validate all of those emotions when they arise and remind your child (and yourself) that school is going to be fun and you will be back to get them soon. Cry if you need to, give as many hugs as possible, and celebrate big when you pick them up at the end of the day.
Trust your instincts as a parent, adapt these tips to suit your child’s needs, and seek support when necessary. With your love, guidance, and the right tools, your child will thrive academically, socially, and communicatively. Here’s to a fulfilling and empowering school experience!
Looking for more help? Here’s a social story about going to school & a visual schedule! Best of all? it’s FREE!
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