Back to School!

The end of the wonderful, summer holiday has arrived and there are many children beginning “Big School” for the first time. This is a joyful, exciting occasion, although it often brings tears to a mother’s eye. The sight of your child in uniform with a lunchbox packed is overwhelming as all great milestones are.

Children love to discover and experience their world. They need to be encouraged to embrace this new adventure and the attitude of parents can go a long way to making this adjustment to a new environment a smooth, happy one. A positive, involved parent who shows interest in the teacher, classroom and school helps a child to settle down with ease.

On the first day, it is a good idea to arrive early so that you can walk your child to their classroom or meeting area. Find a way to chat to other parents so that your child sees that you are relaxed and follows suit. When it is time to go, GO! If you are hesitant or nervous, your child will pick this up. A parent that I know always brings the new teacher a bunch of flowers and has the child stand with the teacher to have a photograph taken. This really works positively for all sides. Your child’s teacher has been carefully selected and many schools have experienced teachers in the first year. If you have a new teacher, she will be working with a team that will ensure your child’s learning will be up to the expected standard. Once you leave the classroom, do not go back until it is time to fetch your child at the end of the day. If you are planning on buying things from the school on that day, wait until the end of the day to give the necessary items to your child or your child’s teacher. Do not worry about your child. As soon as the day begins, every child becomes engrossed with the excitement of getting to know new friends and to have the new pleasure of opening the lunchbox packed for them with so much love. Try to be prepared in advance for anything to do with the school. That will help you to cope well when your child is unwell or anything unexpected happens.

When you pack your child’s lunch, include something special for the first few weeks.  They will feel loved and happy. Remember that water is very good for helping concentration and energizing a child so include this in the schoolbag. Water is the fuel of the brain. Have their uniform ready the night before so that the mornings are always treasured family times without stress. Chat to your child on the way to school about their teacher and new friends. This will help him/her to relax and prepare for the day ahead. Walk with them to their classroom for the first week then leave them at varying points of distance from the classroom so that by the third week they can be dropped at the gate to walk with confidence to their classroom. Let them know that you will be there at the end of the day to fetch them. It is very important to be on time to fetch your child as this helps them to feel secure.

Homework is a new and important aspect of life for parents enrolling a child in formal school. Have a routine so that your child will feel comfortable with doing any homework before playing. Some children need to let off steam and run around for a while, and other children need to eat. Allow a time to relax before doing homework. After that, your child can play. Many parents find that their children need to eat a snack, rest or sleep before doing anything. Find your child’s unique balance by experimenting with how they react. Always treat everything to do with school with respect so that your child will develop a sense of appreciation and respect for learning.

Finally, here is a word of advice regarding the teacher. Teachers choose their profession because they are passionate about giving children a happy learning experience. They prefer to work hand-in-hand with parents to make the school experience successful and meaningful. Should you not understand any aspect, approach the teacher by asking for an appointment to discuss what you need to be clarified. Teachers appreciate parents who are involved with their children’s learning. When you sit down for your meeting, have your queries written down and note the answers next to each one. This will guide you when you need to use them later. Should the teacher approach you for a meeting, listen to what they have to say and note the relevant advice. They have the experience and keep your child’s wellbeing at heart. They plan for successful learning and  have advice or recommendations that will help facilitate your child’s learning. 

Sometimes a child is not ready for formal education. This does not mean that they have problems. All children grow at an individual, unique pace. To be ready for formal school, a child should be able to sit down and complete a task without becoming restless. Some fine muscle skills will also need to be in place as well as visual and spatial abilities. Listening skills and being able to follow sequential instructions are important skills. Emotionally, a child should be able to cope away from a parent and relate to others in a positive manner.

At YVEHER your child is given individual attention and care to develop the necessary skills for coping well in formal school situations. Your child will be supplied with a unique program to facilitate the development of the required skills and this will increase self-esteem. Any reading and numeracy aspects can be improved with simple targetting of the relevant areas that seem to challenge your child. You may book an appointment by emailing: yvette@yveher.com

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