Preparing Your Child for Formal Schooling

We are naturally more at ease in places we are familiar with and children are no different. In much the same way that when we visit our regular store, we know where everything is and shopping is easy, but that changes when we go somewhere different, and have to hunt around to find everything.

Visiting The School With Your Child

Kids will find many things strange and unnerving when they start formal schooling, so it is a smart idea to remove one major hurdle. Visit the school several times with your child, let them use the playground, visit the classrooms and maybe even sit in for a while on a lesson. It also lets them see where the bathroom is, a problem that has haunted day one children since schooling started! Being familiar with the school layout and having met the new teacher before the big day will seriously reduce much of the upcoming stress.

Setting Your Child’s Schedule

Having a set routine for children is very important, and the change in hours between school and kindergarten may mean this needs to be slightly different. It is a good idea to start the process ahead of time, so that bedtime and getting up time may need to change and maybe meal times too. Check with the new school about lunchtime and adjust your timing at home to match. As any primary teacher can tell you, a child who is hungry at 11:00 a.m. who is not being fed until midday, can be a really unhappy and uncooperative little person.

Make Sure Everything Is Prepared

The mornings can be quite stressful and the more you are able to reduce that, the easier the day starts and the more likely it is to go well. Make sure the kids are up early enough that nothing needs to be rushed. Lay out the school uniform, or clothes to be worn the night before, so they are easy to find. A pictorial checklist might help, for your children to refer to, such as, pictures of the bathroom, uniform, shoes, breakfast and backpack. You can add more for homework or gym clothes as appropriate, which reduces errors.

Consult With Your Early Learning Centre

Early learning centres such as the Guardian child care in Perth have been providing the necessary basic problem solving and learning skills the child will need, so that when the child makes the transition to a formal school, he or she already has a wealth of experience in what helps and what doesn’t. Every child is slightly different, and from interacting with children in their formative years, the learning centres will be able to give you tailor-made advice for each of their students, and every little bit is going to matter.

Feedback From Your Children

Do not be surprised if the first day did not all go according to plan, and that your child comes home stressed out, tired, grumpy and quite possibly super hungry. Now is not the time to ask them about their day, as you are likely to hear a whole load of negatives. 

Let them eat and have time for recreation and when you can see that they have unwound, it is time to get their feedback. It will take time for them to adjust, but keep providing the support, and they will soon be able to adjust.