With the summer holiday’s slowing coming to an end and September around the corner, today I wanted to talk about how to prepare your child for their 1st day at school. Entering a new environment with new smells, sounds, and people can be scary for a small child, so helping them prepare for their new school year will help you as a family.

Prior to school: 

·         A few weeks prior to school, start preparing them for sitting down at a table and doing drawings and practicing letters and numbers so they can become familiar with “Task time” you can get so much information and activities from a site called “Pinterest” This is particularly useful for children who have not already attended nursery, your child will first master learning to write their name.

·         Go and walk to the school and walk around the school perimeter and do a little walk to the school a few days prior to starting so that your child can become familiar with the school building. This way it is less daunting on the actual day of going to the school when they will have been there before and know what it looks like.

·         Visit the school prior to the holidays and meet your child’s teacher, ask them exactly what is the protocol for this particular school is and what will happen in the days ahead, so that you know what to expect. Each school will have a different setup and way of handling things.

·         See if you can find another child that is going in the same class so that you can both travel together, making friends will help ease the anxiety when you’re not alone.

·         Play “schools” so that your child has an idea of what to expect and tell your child your own happy memories about the school to give them a good vibe.

·         Buy the school uniform at least 2 weeks ahead and iron it and set it out somewhere a few days before hand so everything is nice and ready and there is no rushing around.

·         Make a reward chart, talk about the good things in school and when your child has received milestones, treat them!

·         Label all your child’s belongings and show your child so that they know what is theirs and recognize their name.

·         Go to bed early, so your child has plenty of rest and avoids being overly tired and emotional.

On your child’s first day: 

·         Bring a “friend” from home, bring a special teddy or toy from home that they can whisper to if they are feeling worried and share things with. But not their favorite one, just in case it gets lost.

·         Don’t linger (No matter how painful it is) Say your goodbyes and go, however hard it is and (if you need to cry, go ahead and cry, this is a huge thing for you both, but do try and keep it in till you have left the classroom as this might confuse your child and upset them) Don’t worry about the other mum’s their all going through the same thing! Let your child know that you will be there exactly on time to collect them at the end of the day, so you are consistent and trustworthy as this will help them to settle as they will know you will be coming back at a selected time.

·         Also, don’t sneak out, you lose your child’s trust and this is extremely scary and lonely for your child if they turn around to find that you have gone.

·         Point your child’s teacher out to them and reintroduce them so that they know who to go to if they feel sad or have any problems.

·         Learn the other children’s names so you can say “oh look, Sally is here, you can play with Sally”

·         Talk about your feelings, let them know that you will be there to help them through it all.

·         Set your alarm, make the packed lunch and pop it in the fridge if they are not having hot dinners. Set out the clothes downstairs and get them dressed after their breakfast if they are a messy eater. Check how long it will take you to get to the school so you know when you need to leave the house, the getting ready walks or school runs will help you identify this. Being prepared will make things run more smoothly.

·         Don’t overdo the school photos, just get the good one in front of a plain wall or in front of the school gates or book your child in for a “Back to school” mini session.

So as a mother myself, I have been through this whole process and I know how important this milestone is for your child. Contact me if you would like some “Back to school” photos and I hope this helps!

Love and light, Victoria.