Back To School

Whether your children are starting a new year or a new school, beginning a fresh term can be a stressful time for all the family, writes Tracy Hargreaves

Once the summer holidays are over, it’s preparation time for mums, dads and kids to get classroom ready. This usually involves buying a new uniform, new shoes and new stationery amongst many other things.

But there some ways to make it an enjoyable experience in the run up and in the first few months until they settle in.

Go clothes shopping together and leave it as close as possible to their start date. Children have an annoying habit of growing and you don’t want to spend a fortune on new shoes at the beginning of the summer holidays only to find they are too small on day one. Whilst schools can have strict rules about uniform you can still let your children choose which style to some extent. Getting them involved will make it much easier.

If they’ve been used to lazing about all day and sleeping in over the holidays, a new routine can be hard work, especially in the mornings. Make sure they get their uniform ready the night before, pack bags, make their lunch and avoid any distractions such as TV. There is nothing worse than rushing and wondering if they are going start the day late.

If they’ve not been on a school bus before, do a dummy run so they’re not nervous about what to expect. They will soon become independent and it will be second nature in a few days.

Encourage your kids to try as many after school clubs as possible. This is when they not only make friends but discover new skills and find out likes and dislikes in activities they’ve not tried before.

Most children don’t want to talk about school when they come home, and this can include if they are being bullied. Let them know that it’s alright to tell someone if they are having problems settling in, whether this be mum or dad or someone at school.

Your child’s happiness is paramount to how well they will do and a happy child means happy parents.

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