Ah, the first day back to school. The clothes to wear, the new lunchbox, the friends and rivals gone missing for three months. New classroom, new teacher, new school. These are just some of the things students stress over from kindergarten through the rest of their academic career. A child’s anxiety over these first-day details inevitably leads to stress for us as well. So what is the best way to deal with the nerves on both sides? Here are some of my favorite tips to make the transition run smoothly.
- Many schools have open house days before the school year begins. Take take advantage of these and take a tour with your children. Knowing where to go the first day is a big relief from that doe-eyed look when entering the front doors. If going into junior high, walk the classrooms with them. Show them how to work their locker. Walk into the bathrooms.
- In summertime we all let some rules slip, particularly around bedtime schedules. A week before school begins, start getting your kids back on schedule. Also make sure to get yourself on schedule–kids are fed, dressed and able to be at the bus or dropped off on time.
- When a child comes home from school hating every minute of it, instead of going into problem solving mode as fathers are prone to do, instead just listen. The best solution is to allow them solve the problem themselves. Ask them, “What do you think you can do to make this better?” Help guide them to the right answer. Part of school is learning about conflict resolution and we are an active part of teaching that process.
- On the CBS Early show, parenting expert Shannon Eis strongly recommended parents getting the paperwork taken care of early. “Parents have lots of to-do’s, and they often come in the form of paperwork from the school — so get organized early. Be sure to review the material sent by the school as soon as it arrives.” She suggested starting a file system to keep school paperwork organized.
These are some of the valuable tips I’ve picked up as I get ready for our boys first year of school. Now let’s hear some of yours.
Great tips, I particularly like the one about getting back into schoolgoing habits a week before school starts.
Another thing I try to do is to organize playdates with classmates if they have not met many of them over the summer. That way at least some of the faces they meet on the first day are not too unfamiliar. They can see who has lost teeth, grown taller, etc.
That’s a great idea. I remember how odd the first day of school was for that very reason!