How do you reduce the stress of the first few school months?

The start of a new school year can have a dramatic impact on a child’s fragile psyche, and stress can reduce a child’s effectiveness both socially and academically. The first few months of school can be extremely challenging for both children and parents. Even those children who are eager to go to school will have to adjust to the increased activity levels and stress that inevitably come with school life. The degree of adjustment will vary from child to child, but parents can help their children manage their own pace of life, plan ahead, and have a positive attitude toward lessons and new students. Here are some tips to help make the first few months of school easier for your child.

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Before the start of school

Good physical and mental health of the schoolchild. Make sure that your child is in good physical and mental health. Take him to doctors before school, and especially spend time with a psychologist, orthopedist and dentist. The attending pediatrician can help determine whether the child's development is appropriate for his age or not. It will be to your child's benefit if you can identify and begin to address his health and developmental problems before he starts school.

Review all information about the school. Review materials that pertain to the school. Write down the phone number of your child's class teacher, the number of the class he/she will study in, what school supplies are needed, the bell schedule, the number of the nurse.

Make copies of the necessary documents. Make a copy of your child's card and a copy of the vaccinations. This information can be used for health activities in the summer. For example, for a summer camp.

Write down your child's lunch and breakfast schedule at school. You should know this information at least a week before school starts. Prepare your child for these changes by talking to him about the benefits of going to school. It is very stressful for a child to completely change his daily routine.

Limit TV viewing. Encourage your child to play quiet games, puzzles, draw, or read in the morning and evening instead of watching TV before bed. This will help make learning easier for your child. If possible, continue this practice throughout the school year. Television is a distraction for many children, and your child will come to school better prepared if he or she does not overload his or her brain with unnecessary information.

Visit the school with your child. If your child is starting school for the first time or is attending a new school, visit the school with your child. Showing your child who their teacher is, where the classroom is, the changing rooms, the cafeteria, etc. will help ease your child’s anxiety and also allow them to ask you questions about their new environment. Talk to the teachers and make sure they always come to you if your child has any problems.

Choose comfortable clothes and shoes for your child. Buy only the most necessary. Your child grows quickly, so make sure he or she has at least two pairs of durable shoes. Ideally, orthopedic ones. This will protect the child's feet from fatigue and diseases associated with flat feet. Find out in advance whether your child will have a special uniform at school. Many special schools have one.

Prepare a place for your child to do his/her homework. Older children should be able to study in their own room and this place should be the quietest in the house. Young children usually need peace, this allows the baby to be protected and calm.

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The first months of school

Clear your own schedule. Whenever possible, postpone business trips, after-work meetings, and extra projects during the first few months of school. You need to be free to help your child adjust to school and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children feel at the start of a new school year.

Prepare a lunch that your child can take with him. Older children can help you prepare this school lunch. Or, if finances allow, let your child buy lunch at school.

Set an alarm clock. School-age children should have their own alarm clock that will wake them up in the morning. This will teach efficiency and responsibility in the child. Praise them for their prompt response.

Allow extra time for your child to get ready for school. Make sure your child has enough time to get up, eat breakfast, and get to school. For very young children who are sent to school by bus, put a note in their jacket pocket with relevant information, including the teacher's name and school number, as well as your contact information.

Keep your child safe after school. Talk to your child about what to do if he or she gets home from school and you are not there to meet him or her. Be very specific, especially with young children. Give your child a number to reach you at and alternative numbers, such as grandparents or older siblings.

Look at your child's textbooks. Talk to him about how your child will learn throughout the year. Share your confidence in his abilities. Take an interest in your child's learning throughout the school year. Learning certain skills takes time and frequent repetition. Encourage your child to be patient, attentive, and respond positively to all school circumstances.

Send your child's teacher notes and call them from time to time. Let the teachers know that you are interested in receiving regular feedback and information about how and what your child is doing at school. Tell the teacher that you sincerely want to collaborate with them.

How to reduce your child's stress levels during the first months of school?

Let your children know you care about them. If your child is worried about school, help them cope. Talk to your child every day, find out their smallest problems. So that you can cope with them together. Children absorb their parents' anxiety, so your optimism and confidence are good role models for your child. Let your child know that it is natural to be a little nervous at first.

Don't overdo it. If the children are a little unruly, aggressive, irritable during the first few days, try not to react to this. Small children may be anxious or shy, you should help them adjust to the new pace of life. Reassure them that you love them, that you will think about them during the day, and this will help the children, create a sense of security.

Reassure your child of his or her ability to cope with the situation at school. Discuss with your child several options for managing a difficult situation at school, explain how you would act, tell a few stories from your own school past. But if the problem persists, the child should share it with the teacher and you. Maintain constant communication with the school.

Organize a meeting of children before school. Try to organize a meeting of several familiar classmates of your child before school. And then the first months of school will not be so difficult for the child.