Helping Your Child Through Transitions
Posted on 21st August 2024 at 16:22
It’s that time of year when as much as we are loving the summer holidays, thoughts of September are starting to creep in. There’s an early start for schools this year meaning the ‘Back to School’ messages are already plastered all over our local supermarkets and the thought of doing the uniform shop may very well be filling you with dread!
Whilst we may not to wish away the summer, it is sensible to get ahead and start thinking about to prepare your little ones for their upcoming transition - whether that’s starting nursery for the first time or heading on to the big grown-up world of primary school.
Starting Nursery…
So you’ve successfully negotiated the first big hurdle (getting a nursery place!) but now your child has a start date what can you do to make sure they are prepared as possible?
The first thing to remember is that all children will handle this transition differently. Some may take it in their stride and not look back when you wave them off at the door teary eyed. Some may cling to you for dear life and have a wobble saying goodbye. No matter what stance your little one takes when facing this big step, both ends of the scale are completely normal. Also spoiler alert - some days they will be totally fine and some days will be a battle - standard parent-life we hear you say!
Here are a few of the key things we would advise doing to help your little one prepare for attending nursery or pre-school:
* Socialise! Make sure they have experience being around other children. If you have attended baby classes or they have a harem of cousins then of course this won’t be a problem. If not maybe attend some toddler groups or set up some playdates with children of a similar age.
* On the same note make sure that your child is used to being around other adults. Are they happy with someone else changing their nappy for example or giving them a bottle? If not find a willing participant and get practicing!
* It’s time to skill up. Are you little ones able to use a fork or a spoon independently? Are they capable of drinking from a ‘big’ cup?
* Snoozey time! When it comes to naps can your little one settle themselves in their cot or are you still stroking their arm until they go to sleep? If not then mastering the key skill of being able to settle themselves will really make their first week at nursery so much easier and you will also be grateful for this at home!
Our final piece of advice would be that it really helps to speak positively to your little one about starting nursery and show them it is a new adventure to be excited about rather than anything to fear. This includes you remaining calm and not being overly anxious when you drop them off!
Starting School…
This is the big one! 5 minutes ago your little one was wrapped up in your arms and now they are starting school. How on earth did that happen! Although it can be a bittersweet feeling, this is a great new experience for them and crucial for the next part in their development. As your child is slightly older they are more able to vocalise if they are feeling nervous or hesitant and if so what about so you can help ease their minds with a bit of discussion. Or maybe they may be feeling nothing but excitement and ready to go!
Either way here are a few things you can do to help them prepare for the big move:
* Read some books together about starting school. They will realise it’s total normal to feel a little bit nervous but that pretty soon they will be having the time of their lives with their new friends.
* Practice the morning routine of getting ready for school - getting up early (if you’re used to lazy mornings!), eating breakfast, brushing their teeth, getting their uniform on etc. We also can’t recommend highly enough making sure you’ve done a practice school run before the first day!
* Again there are certain skills required for school that will help your child feel more confident if they can do independently. Can they go to the toilet on their own? Can they put their coat on without help? Can they open a lunchbox? If not then it’s time to master these skills and make learning them fun so they are excited.
* Name recognition… We know that your child knows their own name by now but do they recognise it when it’s written down? This will help them find their belongings and books etc when they start school. Better yet help them learn to write it!
Final checklist for parents - make sure you know what equipment and uniform they need and we can’t emphasis this enough - label EVERYTHING! Seriously! If you know then you know. And prepare to feel emotional. This is a big step not only for them but for you too. If you’re not shooting straight off to work then take some time to enlist in some self-care. Go out for a coffee with a friend or do something you enjoy to take your mind off things.
We know that although there may be a few bumps along the way that all your little ones are going to flourish whatever step they are taking next and enjoy a new adventure. Good luck to all of you for your September starts!
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