Mum, I'm Scared!
 
HOW TO HELP YOUR KIDS SURVIVE THEIR FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL.
 
Here are ten tips on how to help make your child's first day at school an enjoyable experience rather than a nightmare.
 
  1. Mum and dad should make buying the uniform, PE kit and pencil kit as exciting as possible and involve the child in making the choices.

  2. Make sure you encourage your child to talk about school as much as possible.

  3. Mum and dad should do their best not to show their nerves and should try to be as positive as possible at all times. The last thing anyone wants is the child picking up on their parents' anxieties.

  4. If your child doesn't know anyone in their new class, mum could invite a couple of new classmates around to play beforehand.

  5. Make sure your child has the opportunity to meet the teacher before school starts to avoid them building up a negative image of their new teacher.

  6. Arrange a visit to the school, even if there is no official open day, so the child can see the lavatories and the dining room. Eating and going to the loo are the main things that children get anxious about.

  7. Make sure your child is wearing comfortable clothes that they can manage to undo when they go to the toilet or change for sport.

  8. Try role playing at home before term starts where you become the "new child" and your son/daughter is "teacher". This is an excellent way to empower your child and get them looking at problems from different angles.

  9. When you take the child into class don't leave without saying goodbye. But do leave quickly and don't look over your shoulder.

  10. Try to give them your full attention when they get home so they can discuss their day and you can help to iron out any lingering worries.
Having been through this experience with my son, one major factor in making it easier for your child is to start educating them at home, when they show interest in, say, reading. They could be able to read most of the early primer books at school with little or no problems, for instance. My son started to show such interest around his third birthday and was give time and simple books to help him advance that interest. His reading ability on starting school was almost the whole year ahead of the level expected.
 

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