Starting school is a big event in the lives of both children and parents. Congratulations on navigating the challenging first week.
Studies show that the early years of school are crucial for children. There is a consistent correlation between the progress children make in their first year of school—more specifically, in the first six weeks—and the grades they achieve in their GCSEs (British School Leaving Certificate) at age 16.
I'm Brigid—a mother and elementary school teacher—and here are my best tips for parents on how to guide your child successfully through the new school year.
1. Nervous parents = nervous children
The thought of your child taking this big step into school can be frightening and unsettling for parents. Difficulties in the first few weeks of adjustment are normal and can be challenging for children.
You are your child's most important role model, and your attitude and language influence your child's. Regardless of how you feel inside, using optimistic language and having a positive attitude toward all school matters will help your child focus on the positive aspects of school.
2. Children love routines
Children love the security and predictability of daily rituals. Establish a fun morning routine that you enjoy together every day before school to help your child start the day on a positive note.
3. Promotes your child’s independence
Washing hands, opening the lunchbox, dressing themselves—the more independent your child is, the more confident they will feel at school. Role-playing activities such as asking the teacher for help or approaching a new friend can be very helpful.
4. Create a learning area at home
A place where children can read, do homework, and work on learning projects without distraction. Such a learning area emphasizes the importance of learning in your family and helps establish good learning habits early on.
5. Promotes the joy of learning
Create opportunities that make learning fun. I always recommend EDURINO, the perfect learning companion for children ages 4 to 8. EDURINO gamifies the British curriculum, reinforcing the skills children learn in school at home.
One of the great benefits for children learning with EDURINO is the magic pen: children strengthen their fine motor skills and practice the three-point grip while learning numbers, phonics, programming and much more.
Click here to learn more about EDURINO’s new school package.
