Back-to-school tips for parents
STARTING THE new school year can be a time of great excitement and anxiety. Help calm your child’s fears (and your own) with these teacher-approved tips.
TOUR THE SCHOOL
If your school hosts an open house, be sure to go. Familiarising your child with his/her environment will help him/her avoid a nervous stomach on the first day. Together you can meet the teacher, find his/her desk, or explore the playground.
With an older child, you might ask him/her to give you a tour of the school. This will help refresh the child’s memory and yours.
CONNECT WITH FRIENDS
A familiar friend can make all the difference when heading back to school. You might try calling parents from last year’s class and find out which children are in your child’s class this year. Refresh these relationships before school starts by scheduling a play date or a school carpool.
TOOL UP
Obtain the class supply list and take a special shopping trip with your child. Having the right tools will help him/her feel prepared. While keeping basic needs in mind, allow for a couple of splurges, like a cool notebook or a favourite-coloured pen. These simple pleasures make going back to school a lot more fun.
School supply lists also provide great insight into the schoolwork ahead. Get your child excited about upcoming projects by explaining how new supplies might be used. Let him/her practise using supplies that he’s not used before – such as coloured pencils or a protractor – so he will be comfortable using them in class.
When it’s almost time to stop playing, give a fiveminute warning. Giving clear messages to your child is very important.
CHAT ABOUT TODAY’S EVENTS AND TOMORROW’S PLANS
While it is important to support learning throughout the summer, don’t Children from Naggo Head Infant School in Portmore, St Catherine, have fun at the playground inside Heroes Park in Kingston during a school trip.
spend the last weeks of summer vacation reviewing last year’s curriculum. All kids need some downtime before the rigours of school begin. For some kids, lastminute drills can heighten anxiety, reminding them of what they’ve forgotten instead of what they remember.
EASE INTO THE ROUTINE
Switching from a summer to a school schedule can be stressful to everyone in the household. Avoid first-dayof-school mayhem by practising your routine a few days in advance. Set the alarm clock, go through your morning rituals, and get in the car or to the bus stop on time. Routines help children feel comfortable, and establishing a solid school routine will make the first day of school go much smoother.