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As mothers of young children, we have both experienced the ups and downs of the first days of school.


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From nervousness (for both mum and child) and excitement, to adjustments to a new routine and making new friends, the new school year can be a trying time, especially for parents of first-time school students.

As a parent, there are easy steps that you can take to prepare both your child and yourself for this exciting time.

Here are our top 5 tips:

1) First and foremost, take advantage of the school’s orientation process.

Take any opportunity the school offers to ease your child into this new experience.

Many schools will allow your new student to attend a few classes and ask questions about what school as a kindy student will be like, which will help your little one adjust to the new routine and social aspects of kindy life.

2) Attend information nights at your child’s school.

Information nights can provide insights and simple tips that you might not have thought of – from making sure your child can open food packets on their own, to ensuring they can lock and unlock a toilet cubicle without assistance. Take in all the information, even if you feel it’s not relevant for your child and take the opportunity to ask questions, no matter how silly you might think they are.

3) Connect with other parents to help socialise your child.

One of the most heart wrenching and unexpected experiences a child, and subsequently a parent, can face at the start of the school year is how they fit in socially.

Not all kids will integrate immediately into the friend groups in their class, so it’s important that as a parent you’re involved and do everything you can to help foster these relationships.

You may be lucky enough to have the help of fellow parents who can help organise play dates and meet ups amongst the other children. Observe who your child plays with at orientation – and seek out that child’s parents for play dates over the Summer break.

4) Introduce yourself.

Take the time to introduce yourself to teachers and other parents. You already have something in common – your kids – so the conversation should flow quite easily.

You often meet parents who have older kids and have been through the kindergarten experience before. These parents will be able to help answer your questions and offer advice based on their own experiences with older children.

Connecting with the teachers will also help you to stay informed about what’s going on in the classroom.

5) Make the time leading up to the first day exciting and fun!

Get your child excited about their first day by doing little things in the lead up to the start of the year.

A simple countdown on the family calendar to the first day of term one allows your child to visualise how close the day becomes as you tick the boxes one by one.

Also, make a special event out of buying the uniform and other school items with your child so that they look forward to getting decked out for the big day.

All in all, the orientation process leading up to your child’s first day is what you make of it and as a parent. It’s up to you to make the most out of the start of your child’s schooling for both yourself and your child.

Do you have any tips to add to this list? What has worked for you or other friends? Please share in the comments below.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com
About the authors:
Best friends, Kate Sanchez and Kirsty Dahdah created schoolparents after they each experienced difficulty meeting other parents at their kids’ schools.
Kate and Kirsty’s aim for schoolparents is that the platform will do for parents which LinkedIn does for professionals, and to take parents’ ‘school gate’ discussions online.
We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.
  • I am a carer for special needs children and this coming New Year I ahve 2 new students that I will be caring for. The first week is always a little rough as we learn about each other.

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  • Even though my son has been in preschool for 2 years I still feel nervous about him starting school. Thanks for the tips.

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  • Great ideas, thank you for sharing.

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  • As i learnt with my eldest – making sure your child can open lunch containers is one of those things you dont spend much time thinking about – until you realise your kid hasnt eaten much because they cant open the container or wrap! Teachers are great and help, but this is good to practice before school starts. And wearing the uniform so child gets used to the clothes and shoes.

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  • Make it fun and be positive is important as kids pick up on the energy and mood of their parents.

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  • yep not much longer till they are back at school! or school for the first time

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  • Make sure your child knows how to go bathroom by themselves and especially with boys a urinal. Hubby took our son into the toilets and explained what it was because he wasn’t used to seeing one.

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  • Fantastic article and an incredibly worthwhile read.

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  • Make sure you have all the school uniform in advance. Let your child practice wearing it around home or to show family and friends. Make sure they can open lunch boxes etc. Visit the school over the holidays – even if it’s just for a walk around the exterior, or a walk through the school if possible.

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  • My son starts school next year. These tips are so true. His teacher has advised us to start getting them used to unwrapping a sandwich etc and I plan to be involved with the school canteen etc. It’s such an exciting time.

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  • Thank you for the helpful tips.

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  • Once our kids had their Kindy Orientation I started to pack a lunchbox with crunch & sip and recess and gave them food at home at the same time schedule the school does.
    And indeed sign up for reading and maths-group, uniform shop and school clubs or P&C and not to forget school excursions.

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  • Joining the tuck shop roster or the P & C group for the school always helps and once the first one starts, it is so much easier for the subsequent child.

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  • Mine starts next year and I’m scared already but he’s excited! Need to calm a bit I think.

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  • I volunteered in the school canteen. I got to meet other parents, teachers and students, and my daughter loved seeing me at school.

    Reply

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