Starting school is a massive milestone for both your child and you. There are many things that you can do to help your child get ready for school but most don’t involve anything particularly academic. It's not all about the reading, writing and arithmetic.
Get your child on a sleep schedule that will work for school. They will need a good nights sleep if they are going to concentrate at school.
During term time my girls start getting ready for bed at about 8/8.30pm. They are older, 11 & 16 years old. They have their showers or baths, get their pj's on, sort their bags ready for school the next day, warm drinks and all their computers and tablets get switched off. They wind down and read or sometimes watch TV in bed and TV's are switched off no later than 10pm. Lights go off at half past ten and it works for us.
Make sure your child knows the importance of washing their hands after going to the toilet!! Washing hands is so important especially at school where there is so many bugs going around, especially in the winter months.
Your child will enjoy trying on their smart new uniform. Let them practice getting undressed and dressed in preparation for PE lessons or on a morning when you are busy doing a million other jobs which need doing.
If your child has packed lunches let them practice eating out of a lunchbox and putting things in bin. Remind your child what should go in the bin and what should be kept in their lunchbox and brought home. I lost so many spoons in the first few weeks of school due to my girls putting them in the bins.
Become familiar with your child's school. Take a walk to school if you will be doing the school run by foot. It will give you and them chance to get used to the walk and show them the building while it's empty and not surrounded by people. Point out the gates, playground and where they'll be going in on their first day.
The night before.
Help your child to pack their school bag. Reception children will need a PE kit and a lunch bag (if they’re having packed lunches). Many schools also ask children to have a water bottle. A spare change of clothes and a waterproof jacket may be useful too.
Let them know who will take them to school and pick them up on the first day.
In the morning.
Make sure your child has a nice breakfast. Enough to fill them up until lunchtime.
Take time to snap a picture of your little school starter on their very first day as a keepsake.
Leave home on time allowing time to say goodbye. Be brave and positive when you say good bye to your little one. It really is harder for us as parents than it is for our children.
Show them where you will meet them at the end of the school day and remind them that you will be back to collect them.
If you do stay at school for a while reassure them and make sure they are settled in but don't stay for longer than you have to.
At the end of the day.
Talk to your child about what happened at school. Ask questions. If they are anything like my girls they won't remember. Even my teen can't remember what she did at school but can remember what she had for lunch. lol
It’s natural to feel nervous about your child starting school but remember that your child can easily pick up on your emotions. Be positive when talking about school. If you are enthusiastic and confident your child will feel the same way too.
Good luck to all the little one's starting school!
Great post with lots of fab advice. You are so right about the first day of school being harder for parents than for children! The first morning I dropped my daughter off I didn't know what to do with myself!!
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