Preparing your child for school is a daunting task especially if the child is a first time school goer. Days could be nerve-wracking and mornings could be a mayhem if things lack planning. But a little effort and understanding from parents can prepare a child for his or her milestone.

Is your kid ready for school? Find out….

1)    Trying to communicate needs

2)    No fuss staying away from parents for few hours

3)    Can be calm, keeping hands and feet to self without being a nuisance.

4)    Showing signs of independence in making choices and liking to interact with children of same age.

5)    Interested in listening to stories and flipping pages to watch images.

6)    Recognizing uppercase alphabet letters, especially those in his/her name

7)    Can count up to 10, copy letters in reversed forms, understand colors and pick up names

Preparing Kid for 1^st Time School (Do’s)

1)    Start preparations at least a week before.

2)    Tell your child about the excitement of going to school. Make him or her understand that school is not just about studies but also about learning fun exercises, coloring, and making new friends.

3)    Parents must take their children on a tour to the school he/she is about to join. Visit the school premises, its playground or recreation classes much before the first day. To a great extend this would help to reduce anxiety in kids.

4)    Nature calls! Habituate them to use restrooms. Tell that at school, he/she wouldn’t have mamma around to assist and that it’s quite common to have an accident at school. So prepare your child for that mess by telling him to alert the teacher to the situation.

5)    Explain about snack and lunch time. Ask your son or daughter what they like to have.

6)    Tell them about siesta, the hardest part of school difficult for a four year old to bear.

7)    Practice them to get some sleep by listening to a bedtime story or by hearing some soothing music.

8)    Try to build partnerships with teachers, administrators and other parents. This helps your child reap benefits at the personal and educational front.

9)    Children are much happier and confident when they receive pats and hear praises. So for some smart behavior or actions of your little one, applaud and give surprises once in a while as a token of encouragement that helps to
build confidence.

Don’ts for parents of First-Time school goers

1)    Never get into an argument with your child before setting out for school.

2)    Don’t be late to school

3)    Avoid over feeding your child on his/her first day

4)    Parents! Avoid pouring out praises and concern about your child to the teacher. He/she is just one among the other children

5)    Don’t linger around once school starts. It distracts your child’s concentration

6)    Never carry your child’s belongings that make him/her appear to be too special

7)    Don’t leave your child at school without bidding goodbye or by not giving hugs

8)    Parents! Your child might cry on his first day at school, but you dare not cry along. Hold back your tears.

Helpful tips for the Big Day

1. Provide your child with a healthy breakfast before school.
2. Dress up your child in the most comfortable way.
3. Label your child’s belongings
4. Keep a pair of spare clothes in his/her school bag
5. Make sure the teacher is aware of any allergies your child has
6. On reaching school, to cheer up a gloomy face, take your child for a stroll around the school premises
7. Do reassure your child that you will be back at a given time.
8. Remind your child to follow directions, to play safe, and to be obedient.
9. Check if the school provides clean environment, pure and hygienic drinking water and neat and clean rooms.

It’s school time again….

Preparing your child back to school after summer holidays is equally stressful like sending him/her for the first time. Here are a few tips for hassle free ‘back to school season’

1)    A few days before school, begin with the school-like routine. Wake up time should be reversed to 6.30 am and bed time to 10 pm, making it easier for them to follow their school timings after re-opening.

2)    Curtail screen time hours as the re-opening days are approaching. It helps them to regularize their TV watch and gaming hours.

3)    Shop for school supplies much ahead. To make ‘back to school’ a celebration, it’s always best to take your kid along with you while going shopping for books, bag and other necessities.

4)    Try purchasing books of their next academic year days before reopening. It gives time for them to glance through the syllabus.

5)    Employed parents who finds it difficult to help out their kid with lessons at home, can look out for tuitions as an alternative. Take time ahead of re-opening to search for the best tutor.

Don’ts for parents before sending child to school

Lecturing– This is one mistake parents often make, rather than going on and on make it a conversation. Listen to the child, this will make them feel respected and valued.

Imposing– Don’t impose your decisions on children; give them options to chose from.

Judging- Don’t be in a hurry to judge your child’s behavior. Most of the time there can be an underlying reason for ‘difficult behavior’ which should be addressed through understanding.

Denying- Most of the parents ignore their child’s limitations. Understand that nobody is perfect. Accept your child’s flaws. This can make your child confident and work through his limitations.

Depending- Never make the child rely on you for anything and everything, accept his/her individuality and help your child become self sufficient and independent.

Boarding School:

 From the comforts of one’s home to life in a boarding school can be a major transition in a child’s life. The move should be handled carefully because it can either make or break a child’s character.

Nowadays, boarding schools are fast becoming a home away from home. Convincing your child about the advantages of a boarding school upbringing is a half the battle won. The rules are not stiff like before and a child can stay connected with parents on Skype or can chat with them through mobile phones on weekends. Experts are of the view that boarding school students are uniquely prepared for university life. Students are conditioned for future success and they bestow on students an independence they would not have living at home.

Boarder’s checklist

Clothing

Sports wear

Accessories

Documents

Foot wear

Stationary

Medicines with prescription

Don’t keep in possession, money exceeding an amount permitted by the authorities.

Carry electronic gadgets and mobile phones only if hostel rules permit.

Stay away from stocking eatables if rules say so.

Tips for Packing

Roll your clothes instead of folding them. It creates room for more things.

Tuck small things inside your shoes

For casual clothing, carry clothes that doesn’t require ironing

Better to keep toiletries in a zip-lock bag to avoid leakage

Label your belongings with code stitches or with markers.

Home sickness

There are no cures for homesickness. It is a feeling which all of us encounter at some point or another. If your child is going off to boarding school, homesickness is bound to be something he has to deal with too. Going off to boarding school is what the professionals call a planned separation. Reassure him by explaining that those feelings of missing familiar surroundings and his family are perfectly normal. Tell him about the times when you felt homesick and how you dealt with it.

Don’t Allow Your Child to Call You Constantly.
This is a tough thing for a parent to do. But you have to firmly lay down the ground rules for calling you. And you have to resist the temptation of calling him every hour. Establish a regular time for a 15 minute chat and stick to it. The school will have rules about when and where students can use cell phones.

Do Encourage Him to Make New Friends.
His adviser and dorm master will help him meet older students who will take him under their wings. He will quickly make lots of new friends if you give him some room to do so. Remember, the school has dealt with homesick children for years. All sorts of clubs and plenty of homework fill up most days.

Don’t Be a Helicopter Parent.
Of course you are there for him. But he needs to learn quickly that he has to adjust and cope. He has to make decisions and abide by the consequences of those decisions. He has make choices on his own. He will never develop good judgment if you make all his choices and decide everything for him. Resist the temptation to be an over-protective parent.

Do Understand That It Takes Time to Adjust.

He has to learn new daily routines. His biorhythms will have to adapt to the new, somewhat inflexible schedule of boarding school. But of your child is unhappy to the point of despair, don’t ignore it. Speak with the school. Find out what they feel can be done. In the most extreme cases withdrawal from school will be advised.