Going to big school can be a big adjustment for kids. As parents, you need to make sure to do your best to support them so they adapt smoothly without feeling too pressured or overwhelmed or even scared. In this article, we will share some guidelines to help support your kids in this big phase in their life.
- Find a good school for them – first of all, as parents it is your responsibility to find a good school that will nurture your kid’s full potential. You should check out International curricula, whether collaborative learning, child-centered approach, trans-disciplinary approach and pick which one is best for your child. It does not necessarily need to be the most expensive school because the important thing is you know that your kid is in great hands.
- Give them a pep talk – it is also advisable to talk to your child about how they are moving to big school now so responsibilities will be bigger and things may be a little tougher. But of course, you should never pressure your kid about being number one or achieving stuff and whatnot. You should just explain to them so they have idea what to expect. As parents, you should be their main support system and not source of pressure. Also, you should guide them and be ready to explain things that they do not understand.
- Let them pick their school supplies – excitement will start to kick in once they start buying school supplies. This is a fun time for children so be sure to let them pick what they want. Allow them to pick the design of school bag, notebooks, pencil cases and others. This is a good way to start the school year.
- Make time to pack lunch and snacks for them – it is also important to take care of the welfare especially food intake of the kids while in school. You should make sure to prepare packed lunch and snacks for them instead of just giving them money to buy foods. You want to make sure that they are eating healthy and clean foods so they don’t get sick.
- Meet their teachers and parents of their classmates – it is also recommendable to meet school teachers since they are the ones that are with your kids in school. You should know how to contact them and also it would be helpful to get feedback from them about your kids. You should work hand in hand to ensure that your kids are getting the best attention and care. It is also best to meet parents of other children so you are updated about activities in school or when they have play dates with other kids.
Most importantly you should always make sure to listen to your kids. You should ask them how they were in school – what they did for the day, who are their friends and stuff like that. And be sure to really listen to them. This way, they know that you are interested and that you care. When kids know that their parents are willing to listen, they tend to be more open and honest, which makes parenting a lot easier.