How to Prepare Your Kid for a New School Year
Sending kids to school while juggling to get to work on time is stressful as it is but even more so when your kid has to start a new a school year. After a relaxing summer holiday, kids have to go through a shift from mostly fun and play time to a fixed routine that involves a lot of new elements: new classmates, new teacher and sometimes even a new school. Your job, as the caring parents that you are, is to make this transition as smooth as possible. Here are some tips to help your kid(s) prepare for a new school year:
1. Prepare your kid mentally.
This requires homework on your part. Find out where the new class is located, what his schedule will be like and what he needs to take with him on the first day of school besides a tasty lunch. It’s also a good idea to make connections early in the school year so don’t forget to make an appointment with the new teacher. This way, you’ll have a better picture of the type of environment your kid will be thrown into come September. When you get a chance to speak to the teacher, let her know what your kid’s strengths and opportunities are and don’t hesitate to ask her to accommodate your child should he have any special needs. If there is such a thing as a buddy system in the school, make sure that your kid is signed up for it. After you’ve done the legwork, you can let your child know key points to make his first day at school successful. Most importantly, bring out excitement by reminding him that he will get to see his friends and even make new ones.
2. Incentivize going to school with back to school goodies.
Thanks to back to school offers, you can be sure to save on items such as school bag, craft items, etc. Don’t forget to invest in a new set of uniform. Nothing gets a kid more excited than being able to flaunt brand new gear to her classmates. urSTORE is one such website that’s perfect for school uniform and sports wear. There you can search for your kid’s school gear by typing their school name or you can search by province and place your order for high-quality uniform items such as as apparel and accessories. urSTORE ships it right to your door so you don’t have to go from store to store looking for options. Pack your kid’s school bag the night before and show them what and where each item is and as a way of positive reinforcement let her know that she got these items because she is keen about going back to school.
3. Talk to your child about how he feels.
The first few weeks may be difficult for your child so don’t be surprised if he throws tantrums, displays signs of stress or has mood swings. Let your kid know that you understand how he feels and show empathy by saying that you’d feel the same way if you were in his situation. This will help your kid open up about his feelings. Take the opportunity to bond with your son by listening to his concerns so he knows that you’re there to support him during this time of transition. The key to reducing your kid’s anxiety is by empowering him with knowledge of what’s to come so the more you equip him with useful information the better off he will feel. You can also develop confidence in your child by reminding him of the times he faced difficulties in the past and how he was able to overcome them. This type of praise instills a sense of security that will be key in helping him succeed in transitioning into a new school year.
