The first day of school is a special occasion for every child, especially
for a preschooler or kindergartner who’s doing it for the very first
time.
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| Photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels |
Preparing For Your Child’s First Day At School
It’s normal to feel jittery
Even if classes will be held online at home, it’s normal for parents to feel a
little anxious. You might even feel more nervous than your child at times.
After all, online classes are still new to most parents and children, even if
that has been the norm for the past year or so.
Moreover, kids can also feel a combination of emotions, ranging from fear to
excitement so it’s good to also prep them well for school.
Coming to school prepared can lessen worries
Similar to other occasions and even personal ventures, preparing well for
online classes can help diminish your worries. With a bit of preparation,
you’ll realize that the new environment or routine will turn out well for you
and your child.
Here are some tips to help you and your child overcome first-day blues:
1. Get your finances sorted out
For parents, one big concern about schooling would be the cost. Thus, you need
to settle this matter before the academic year starts. Different schools have
different payment schemes, so make sure to ask whoever is in charge about the
schedule.
You should also confirm the accepted payment methods. Some schools accept cash
only, while others also welcome checks, credit cards, and even e-wallets.
If you live away from your children, say you work in Metro Manila but your
children stay with your relatives in the province, you’re going to need a
reliable method to
send money instantly. You can use e-wallets for this purpose; if the school accepts electronic
payments, you can wire the money directly to them.
Lastly, you should prepare yourself for extra school expenses such as art
projects and the like. Talk to the teachers, if you must, so you can better
manage your child’s schooling budget.
2. Meet the teacher in advance
Speaking of talking to the teachers, it’s better if preschoolers and
kindergarteners can meet their teachers beforehand. This way, your child can
get used to the idea of another adult interacting with them and teaching them
new things.
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If the situation allows, try to have a face-to-face meeting. Otherwise,
schedule a video conference between you, your child, and the teacher. This is
also a good opportunity to ask any questions you may have regarding lessons,
expectations, and the like.
3. Practice getting ready
Being introduced to formal education for the first time can be a shock to most
children. This is because their routines will change significantly. That’s why
it’s a good idea to get some practice in before the actual schooling begins.
Simulate the start of a “normal” school day, wherein they wake up, eat
breakfast, take a shower, and dress up. The night before, help them fix the
things they’ll “bring” to school.
If you have online classes, you can even try having a practice run at home, where, after your preparation, you sit down and watch an educational video with
a classroom set-up.
Just remember to follow the recommended length of screen time for your child’s
age. You can also try video-calling other students or your child’s friends to
familiarize them with how online video classes work.
4. Get back to previous school habits
For older children who already had a routine in the previous school year,
start easing them back in at least two weeks before school. Have them sleep
early and wake up early so that they can come to school on time.
This way, their bodies won’t get “shocked” by the sudden change. You can also
have them help with preparations, such as covering their books and notebooks
with plastic and other related tasks to get them excited.
5. Let them know that it’s okay to feel a lot of emotions
As previously mentioned, your child will probably experience a wide range of
emotions before and during their first day of school. They can be excited one
day and then scared tomorrow. These feelings can also fluctuate in intensity,
which can be stressful for your child.
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If this happens, let your child know that it’s okay to feel the way they do.
What’s more, tell them that it’s normal. It’s a good idea to share some
stories of your experiences so they know that even you—a person of authority
that they look up to—also felt the same.
Also, encourage your child to tell you why they’re feeling that way. Perhaps
they’re worried that you won’t read to them during bedtime anymore. Do your
best to reassure them that nothing would change in this regard.
6. Read and talk about school
Sometimes, children respond better to people or characters that they can
relate to. If this is the case for your child, you may be better off reading
about going to school.
After finishing the story, talk about it in detail. Pay special attention to
the way the characters felt and how they responded to it; if there are other
characters in the story, discuss what they did as well.
Epilogue
Most things can be nerve-wracking when you’re doing them for the first time.
Children are especially prone to this since they have limited experiences and
are therefore first-timers in a lot of things.
The key is to provide your wholehearted support without coddling. Let them
feel! Recognize their emotions and know that this is part of their growing-up
journey.
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