Banish first-day jitters for your child and for yourself! Starting school can be a difficult time for children. Every child is hesitant to go somewhere new and see people she's never met before. Here are some helpful ways to prepare your child for her first day of school:
1. Let your child know what his schedule will be like. Tell him what time school begins and ends each day.
2. Ask your child about her feelings -- both the excitement and the concerns -- about starting school.
3. Visit the school with your child to see his new classroom and meet his new teacher before school officially starts.
4. Point out the positive aspects of starting school. It will be fun and she can make new friends.
5. Let your child know that all kids are nervous about the first day of school.
6. Leave a note in your child's lunchbox that will remind him you're thinking of him while he's at school.
7. Reassure your child that if any problems arise at school, you will be there to help resolve them.
8. Try to have your child meet a classmate before the first day of school so she will already have a friend when school starts.
9. Arrange for your child to walk to school or ride together on the bus with another kid in the neighborhood.
10. Find out about after-school activities that your child can join. Will there be a back-to-school party? Can she join a sports team?
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5-12, by Edward L. Schor (Bantam, 1999)
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