If your child is due to start school very soon? If so, you may be on the lookout for some reassurance to make sure your fears and worries are validated. Of course they are, every parent worries about their child starting school. Will they make friends, will they be picked on, will they enjoy it? These are all very valid concerns to have. However, if you constantly worry and overthink them your child may sense this and begin to have their own worries about school.
Check out the article below to find everything you need to prepare your child for starting school and perhaps the best years of their life.
For more on this topic, check out the full Back To School collection
Build On Their Independence
Most children will already be self sufficient and independent in toileting and dressing by the time they start school. If there is anything your child still struggles with then ensure you work on this before they are due to start. You don’t want them to be behind their peers due to your laziness and not giving them the independence they need. They may need to change for PE while at school, so they need to know how to get trousers on and how to manage buttons or zips. The art of tying laces comes much later and nobody expects young children to know how to tie laces. This is where velcro or slip-on shoes come in handy, as teachers then don’t have to tie 30 pairs of laces during the day.
Speak To Them About It
Your child may be anxious about starting school. They may not tell you in so many words but they could be showing it through their behavior. This is common for young children as they can’t always regulate or even verbalise their thoughts and feelings. However, if you normalize talking about feelings then this shows the child that it’s okay. Many parents hide emotions from their children, meaning they don’t understand why they are feeling sad while nobody else is. Ask your child how they are feeling about starting school, the answer may surprise you.
Buy The Uniform
One thing you don’t want to be doing is leaving it until the very last minute to buy school uniform, this is simply due to the sizes being sold out. While you may not want to buy a uniform at the start of summer, you will want to leave yourself enough time to order anything that contains a school logo. As you can imagine, these types of businesses are inundated with orders over summer so get in quick.
Try The Uniform On
Once your child’s uniform turns up, you should get them to try it on as soon as possible. If your child isn’t used to wearing a uniform then they can feel quite scratchy and restrictive at first. The last thing you want is to put your child in their uniform for the first time on the first day of school, this could prove to be a disaster. Slowly build up your child’s confidence with their uniform, it is also a good idea to get them used to dressing themselves. There can be a lot of layers to a uniform, you tend to have a polo shirt and then a jumper, sometimes even a tie. This can be a lot for some children, so ease them into it.
Encourage Playdates
If your child has previously attended nursery or pre school then they will be used to socialising before school starts. Some children won’t have been to previous childcare settings, this might mean they are unsure how to socialise properly. If you encourage playdates with your child and others then they can learn from each other and find the best way to understand others. Children are like sponges, they don’t take long to learn a new skill. These social skills are not only vital for school, but life as well.
Decide On Lunches
Speak to your child about whether they would want school or packed lunch. There are pros and cons to both of these options and it all comes down to whatever works best for you. In some places school dinners are free to all children up until a certain age. Some schools even supply free milk to children. If your child wants to take a packed lunch then check out these super cool boîte à lunch Louis Garneau. They will be the talk of the school with these and all their friends will want one.
Visit The School
At some point you may be invited to visit the school where your child will be attending. It might be like an open day where other parents and children go. These are great for meeting teachers who will be working with your child, as well as other students who will be in your child’s class. If you are visiting your child’s school, don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you want. You can guarantee they have heard them all before and you aren’t a nuisance, even if you think you are.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
If you are having financial difficulty then it can be pretty stressful to find the amount of money you need to pay for items like uniforms and backpacks. Never be afraid to ask for help, you never know there may be grants and other financial help out there. You could speak to your child’s school about your difficulties, there could be extra money they get for your child to put towards uniforms and clubs. Alternatively, don’t worry about getting a uniform and other items second hand. Nobody will know except you and your child will have the exact same uniform as everyone else.
Conclusion to Preparation Needed To Start School
