Starting school is a major milestone for the child and parents. The child has to separate from parents, cope with social and academic challenges and make friends. You should be
- Encouraging and supporting
- Teach your child on what to expect eg. nap timings, snacks, the schedule at school.
- Tell him/her not to feel nervous and not to get worried being away from parents.
- Take your child to school before session starts and familiarize him/her with the surroundings.
- Show him/her things of interest like, swings and slides in the school playground.
- Help your child make friends with other kids.
- Motivate the child to go to school by describing your own experiences.
- If you are planning to send your child to school by school bus, you should take him on the bus route a few minutes.
- Start a school going drill few days prior to opening of school. Make the child sleep and rise early, bathe in the morning and eat breakfast. Gradually the child will get used to this routine and will not face difficulty when the school starts.
- Be sure to receive your child after school, at least for the first few days.
If your child has significant difficulty, consider staying for a portion of the first day or two. Discuss this with the teacher. As he/she becomes more comfortable, make your stay shorter, until you stay long enough to say good bye.