Moving up from nursery to ‘big school’ can be quite overwhelming for children because it involves a lot of changes. It can also be daunting for parents, who naturally worry about whether or not their child will be happy and well-adjusted. However, parents should try not to show that they are feeling anxious, because this will only make things worse for their little ones. Instead, they should look for ways to make the transition a little easier. Here are some tips from a childcare provider in Richmond.
Practise Makes Perfect
Try and find time to practise the morning routine before the big day so that it feels less scary for your child when it comes to the real thing. Encourage your child to practise putting on their new uniform so they become more comfortable with buttons, zips and maybe even laces. Give them positive feedback and reassurance, such as telling them how smart they look, so that they can start to feel more excited.
You should also practise the route to and from school in the car so that they become more familiar with their new surroundings. The trick is to basically help them feel less afraid about certain things by showing them how easy it actually is. Of course, you can’t really ease their nerves about the actual lessons, but practising other things like dressing, eating, and using the toilet independently, as well as the drive to and from school can help them feel more confident.
Talk About It
It can be difficult to ease your child’s nerves about things if you don’t actually know what’s going on in their head. Talk to them and ask them how they’re feeling or if there’s anything they’re worried about. Talk about some of the positive and exciting opportunities they will be faced with at their new school, such as making new friends and exploring new hobbies. Share some of the similarities and differences they can expect from big school when compared with nursery.
Avoid talking about your own experiences of school in a negative way. You might have hated school as a child, but your child doesn’t need to know that. Instead, use optimistic, uplifting language when talking about school.
*This is a collaborative post.
Glad that nowadays there’re so many books detailing transition – makes a massive difference