For some adults, the first working day of the year isn’t the only thing to get nervous about because for those with kids who will be starting school, it’s a whole new ball game with new rules and new expectations.
The first day of school is a new chapter for many parents, in fact you might be the one who’s more excited than your own child. From lunch boxes to tying shoelaces, here are some tips to help you and your little one get through their first few days at school.
Your child will be used to staying home for most days of the week so the sudden change in schedule will surely put them in shock. Ease them into schedule by explaining to them about having to wake up early to get ready and have breakfast.
Also start getting them to sleeping earlier waking them up earlier in stages. Nobody likes a latecomer and those who have a penchant for being untimely often gets a bad reputation among the teachers so be early by waking your child up two hours earlier to get ready. Waking up early also ensures that you and your child will have time for a good breakfast.
If you’re a working parent, planning your child’s transportation to school will be very important. You should take the day of work to accompany your child to school on the first day of school but for the rest of the year, try to find a reliable mode of transportation for your child such as the bus or carpooling with other students in the neighbourhood.
Take your child shopping for school supplies and let them choose what they want. Children tend to use stationeries that they selected themselves because you only use what you like right? Don’t get them too many stationeries or else they may take it for granted and won’t be careful with what they have.
During the night before their first day of school, have your child pack their backpack and prepare what they need in the morning such as their purse, hair accessories, school uniform, socks and shoes. If your child is not one who takes showers in the morning, make sure they take a shower at night before bed.
Teach your child the days of the week. From now on, weekdays will have a new meaning for her. In the event your child may need to fill in forms at school, teach him or her how to spell their names and their parents as well as important details such as their home address and telephone number but never to share these details with a stranger!
Sure we know you love your kids but the greatest gift a mother can give to her child is the gift of independence. Don’t have your kid trouble all the teachers in school by teaching them to wear their clothes, using the toilet (yes, both sitting and squatting) and eating by themselves. If your child is slow, give them some encouragement by rewarding them with treats or stickers of their choice. These practices should be done in the months leading up to their first day at school and not overnight.
Many Malaysian parents tend to be very fearful and protective. Often times in public we hear “Don’t do this or the police will catch you!” or “Don’t run around or the car will hit you!”. We should train our children to be fearful of life, instead educate them on safety and doing what is right. After all, you won’t be there to take care of them forever. Teach them to use overhead bridges and to look left and right before crossing the road.
You don’t want your child to end up crying and throwing a tantrum on their first day so take time to talk to them about what to expect and mingle around with other parents and their children before school begins. When they meet other children their age with similar interests they’ll forget about their anxieties and start looking forward to school instead.
At the end of the day when you pick them up from school, congratulate them for surviving their day of school and give them a little treat as an acknowledgement for their efforts. Now all you have to do is repeat this for the next 11 years!
