Here we are just settling into our summer schedule and it is already time to talk about transitioning back to school, or going to school for the very first time. Some children need more help from their parents to transition from summer vacation back to school. Here are some helpful ideas.
All children need plenty of rest, good food and a nice quiet place to do homework. But some children need a little more help during the transition period. For young children going to school for the first time there may be some anxiety surrounding the whole experience. Some of the things that may help for young ones is to take practice drives or walks to their new school. Let them play on the playground, if possible, and show them their new classroom. Usually there is an orientation prior to the first day of school and they can actually see their new teachers and any aides that may be there.
To help your child feel confident with the new teacher you might try making flash cards that have the teacher and aide and even some other children they meet that day with their names your child can practice for a few days before the start of school. There is a book called “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn. It is about a little raccoon going to school for the first time and his anxiety. It is a great book with beautiful illustrations.
A back to school calendar for all ages may help. There can be activities your family does through the summer that leads up to the first day of school. You can put on your vacation, the Fourth of July, buying new clothes for back to school, anything that is meaningful to your family and
shows the passage of the summer.
As the days get closer you might want to look at the previous year’s yearbook and remember special friends from school. Meeting other families with children who experience difficulty with the transition back to school can help especially if they are going to be in the same classroom in the new school year.
It is important that we acknowledge our children’s anxiety but do not build anxiety over new experiences. Have a positive attitude and instruct your child on bullying and what to do if they are bullied. Napa schools have a zero tolerance for bullying but they have to know about it to
do anything. Build on the fun new things when your child is moving into middle school and high school. Some of the benefits are choir, sport teams, clubs and special trips. Remind them that every sixth grader or freshman is experiencing their first day also and there is a whole crew of older students to watch out for them the first few weeks of school.
It is possible that our children will still experience a full dose of anxiety and back to school fears, but we as parents can help them by listening to them, talk to them and help them by keeping the chaos at home to a minimum by using morning routines and nightly prep for the next day.
