We are about to say hello to a new academic year. Schools are opening. Before the opening date of the schools approaches, especially for those who have just started school life, feelings such as stress, anxiety and some question marks have started to come to life or are about to start. “Is my child going to like his new school? Will she get used to her school? Will he be able to make friends?" Many questions such as…
As a parent, you are the best person to carry your child. If you think your child will be restless and need your support in the new school period (which sometimes you may experience the opposite of what you foresee in real life), do not skip these 8 tips:
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Goodbye ritual: Developing a ritual that you will use when dropping your child off at school ensures that your child is prepared for the process. This ritual should be specific to you and your child only and should be decided with your child. Maybe a hug that comes after a special handshake, or a kiss that comes to you by counting the stones on the way and saying it's the last stone and it's time to go. Regardless, this ritual, which is special to you, will allow your child to break away from you for a certain period of time with positive emotions. Don't forget to add at the end of the ritual that you will see him in the evening and how he will get home from school. Complete this ritual every day until your child is completely used to it and no longer needs it.
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Orientation: Many schools today organize an orientation program the week or a few days before school starts. . In this process, take care not to be on vacation and to have your child participate with you. It will allow your child to meet the school, teachers and perhaps future friends in a more comfortable and fun environment before the school and the program, which has many expectations from him, will start.
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Support resources: Fortunately, we have easy access to many support resources for the development of our children. There are also many pedagogical books on the process of starting school. It will help your child to easily process the concept of starting school by making use of these books in the period when the summer vacation starts and the school preparations begin, and will help to relieve the existing question marks, anxiety and fears.
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Routine: Routine is a must in a child's life! Sleep routine, study routine, morning routine… It will help you get through many processes easily, and it also reinforces the child's feelings of trust and consistency. The fact that a system such as going to bed early, waking up earlier, reading time and meal time is a few weeks before the school starts, will cause your child to adapt to this new program that has just entered his life when school starts. Starting the day without stress will relax both you and your child.
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Transitional object: For children who need a support, a transitional object can work. Especially when working with a small age group using the service, you can benefit from support mechanisms such as carrying pictures of parents in a bag, keeping a favorite toy or object from home/room in their bag, and looking at them when emotions visit them. “We'll be at work while you're at school, or I'll get things done while you're at school; but when you think you miss us, you can look at this picture and remember us. When school is over, you'll come home and we'll have dinner together”.
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Verifying feelings: Small for the world, but big for your child! Keep this in mind. Therefore, remind him that all the emotions he feels about this topic are normal. “Yeah, going somewhere you've never been before worries you, I see. Many children like you are starting school again like you. You will make good friends. Let's talk together about what you can do in your spare time at school?" And maybe you too, as a parent, have stories that happened to you when you started school, talk about them. It will comfort your children to know that they are not alone and that this process is normal.
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