Starting school can be an exciting, but anxious time for you and your child. For some children, it may be the first time they've been away from their parents. School may be a strange environment with unfamiliar people and things.
In the early stages of the school year it's only natural that some children will feel anxious or unsettled getting into routines for their new class and coming back to school. Often in this type of situation we hear that families can have a tricky time at home with children being upset. There may be tears in the morning when it's time to get ready for school. If you are feeling this frustration as a parent or caregiver, know you are not alone.
Some tips that might help make your child's time at school more enjoyable and relaxed include:
- Focusi on the positives of school – enjoying time with friends, learning new things
- Make less of a deal about what may potentially cause upsets
- Tell your child that coming back to school might be tricky, but that it soon becomes easy and fun
- At drop off, make it a quick hug and/or kiss goodbye. Encourage your child to go, then turn and walk away, don't look back
- If you need to walk your child to the classroom, make it a quick handover to the teacher (or member of the admin team)
- Do you best to be on time for school – arriving after the bell (8:30am) will unsettle most children.
You may feel you are helping your child by comforting them, but drawn out goodbyes make for longer periods of calming down. Remember, school is a safe place for your child. They will be okay. We often see that after parents and caregivers have left, children quickly settle into the day.
If you don't see a teacher making a fuss over your child it is often because we want to encourage them to step into the morning routine and build resilience.
We acknowledge and understand that this settling in time after the school holidays can be challenging, but generally it only lasts from a few days to a couple of weeks. Please don't hesitate to contact your class teacher or the school office if you would like support with helping your child settle back into their school routine.
Other resources your may find beneficial