Your child’s first day at school can be very exciting, but many children experience anxiousness and worry alongside it. Preparing your child for their first day at school is more than just buying their uniform, giving them a packed lunch and dropping them off with a kiss at the school gates. Before your child starts school for the first time, here are some things that you need to do.
- Teach them how to do things alone
You should start teaching your child more independence in the months leading up to the start of the school term. Your child will come to rely less on you when it comes to things such as dressing, doing homework and going to bed. By the time school starts, your child will feel ready to brave the new school and wave goodbye to you for the day. This will make things much easier for you, especially since you won’t have to cope with the tears of a child who is too dependent!
- Buy all the necessary equipment
You need to buy all the necessary equipment for your child’s first day at school. You should try and do this in advance so you don’t hit the rush in the weeks before the start of term. However, for uniforms, it’s a good idea to wait a bit longer, since children can grow quite quickly at this age, and the last thing you need is a uniform which is too tight! Primark school bags are popular for kids, and they come in various designs and styles. Most of them are large enough to fit all your child’s equipment in, such as pens and pencils, a lunch box and even a couple of small toys.
- School is exciting!
Don’t speak negatively about school in front of your children, and try not to let them hear other children talking badly about their school experiences. Children at such young ages are easily influenced by what others have to say, and the whole idea of starting school will become even more daunting than it already is. Talk very positively about school, and share your favourite stories from when you were younger. Tell them about the benefits of school, such as making lots of nice friends, learning new information and having fun.
- Teach your child to be nice to others
A lot of problems are caused in schools by children who fail to treat each other with respect. While you may argue that this is just because they are young (and there is some truth in that), one of the main reasons why children bully others is because their parents don’t take the time to really teach them how to behave in school. Many children will be all too happy to follow the crowd and make fun of others, so be sure to explain to your child that it’s okay to stand out and be nice rather than follow any bullies they might encounter.
