How to Prepare Your Child for The First Day of School

Each time your child begins a new school year, it can feel like time is slipping through your fingers. Has it truly been a full year since you last did this? How much more grown-up do they look? While this can sometimes leave your head spinning, first-day nerves can also leave your kid reeling, especially if they are starting a new school and surrounded by different faces that they are not familiar with. While you can’t force the other kids to be friends with them, you can help to prepare them for their first day of school to make this experience a bit easier for them.

Ask if You Can Arrange a Tour

If you have been looking for a new school for your child, asking for a school campus tour that your kid can come to as well will be beneficial. This will allow your child to give their opinion on what might be their future learning environment, but it can also help them familiarise themselves with these new surroundings, which can help boost their confidence and feel slightly less overwhelmed on their first day. If they are starting kindergarten, look at karterschools.com for some excellent examples of these learning spaces and see if you can arrange a tour.

Make Sure They Have School Supplies

If your kid is feeling nervous about heading back to school, then being disorganised is not going to help them feel any better. They will unlikely want to ask fellow students to lend them a pen, or worse, get reprimanded in front of the class for not having the right supplies by the teacher. It’s also a good way for your child to express themselves, as the pencil case, backpack, and even the pens that they use, can show their sense of style or indicate some of their interests to other students.

Make Sure They Have the Right Uniform

If your child does attend a school with a uniform, make sure that you have enough shirts, skirts, trousers, sweaters, gym clothes, etc., before they start the term. Again, you don’t want your kid to get in trouble for not having the correct uniform on their first day or make them feel out of place. You can usually order the uniform directly from the school but ask for more information on this to be sure.

A Hearty Breakfast

Some people say this is the most important meal of the day, and it certainly does help to put a positive spin on things if you have a good morning. Preparing a hearty, healthy breakfast is a good way to put a spring in their step before they go to school and will help them to stay focused and energised throughout the school day. If they don’t eat school lunches, make sure that you pack them something tasty for their midday meal, too!

Tell Them That You Are Proud of Them

Finally, it’s important to let your kids know that you love them and are proud of them for many reasons, and it is even more helpful to them if they are feeling anxious. Reminding them that they are loved can help to give them a little boost and help them feel ready to take on their first day of school.

If your kids are either starting a new school year or moving to a new school altogether, use these tips to help make those experiences a bit better for them.