Preparing for School

Starting school is a milestone in the life of your child and is often a time of stress and anxiety for parents. It is an enormous change for a child to have to share a room with up to thirty other children and one adult. There is much that we can all do to ease worry and stress as you prepare your child to cope with the first big move away from home.

Talk to your child about your own school days. Emphasise the opportunities for making friends and getting involved in learning new things.

Don’t hype up school life. Approach this new adventure in your child’s life with a calm attitude and treat it as a normal development.

Visit the school and make sure your child is happy about what will happen once they begin school.

Children should be able to put on and take off coats and hang them up, to use a tissue, to use the toilet and flush it properly and to wash their hands, to tidy up their crayons and colouring books. Help them to practise putting things in and out of the school bag. Teach them to share toys and to take turns in the playground.

Label your children’s clothes and belongings clearly. Help them identify their own belongings. Children often see their school bag etc. as a link with home and get upset if it is lost.

Explain to your child that ‘home’ will be contacted should they be sick or have an accident.

Allow your child to do things independently. Encourage confidence by having them dress themselves. Allow time in the morning. Don’t criticise if things are not exactly to your liking e.g. buttons not perfect. Praise their efforts at every opportunity.