Settling into a new school for every child and their parents can be daunting. The realities of meeting new people in an entirely new place and getting used to new structures and routines can make children feel a tad apprehensive. While it can take some time to adjust to the new environment, you can help your child get organized and make the transition easier to avoid lagging behind. As a child, my education was hampered when my parents needed to relocate to a new state. My parents did not see the alteration as a big deal since I was just in primary school until I started performing way below the usual standard in my previous school. I found it hard to adapt, and I was left to deal with that all alone because my parents assumed all was well. 

With the start of a new school year, the majority of children will be moving to a new school either because of a perceived issue with the current school, they are moving from primary to secondary or because the family moves house. Whatever the case may be, never leave your child to deal with this transitional process all alone. As a matter of fact, settling them into the new school is an essential part of the process.

Here are some tips that can help your child settle in a new school and get even better than they were in the previous school. 

Allow their emotions 

Changing schools comes with a mixed feeling for kids because they are already used to the previous school, their teacher, and their friends. While they feel sober about those things they think they are losing, do not just shut them off by asking them not to cry. Let them express the way they feel about the whole change either by crying, or shouting, or being moody. Ensure you are a shoulder for them to lean on during this period but offer assurance.

Talk to them 

Having a conversation around their insecurities and fears will help. Start by talking to them about their first day in school, the environment, the teachers and new friends they have made. These conversations would give them ease to tell you everything about the new school, including the ones you did not ask them. Ensure you are also paying keen attention to help them develop an interest in talking more extensively. This way, you can easily pick possible areas where you can quickly interfere and support them.

Don’t get emotional with them 

In the process of discussing with your child about their experiences in Once a child notices that you are more worried about the new school, they can leverage on that and refuse to get familiar with the new environment. Even if you are worried, never express it in front of your child. 

Meet With Your Child’s Teacher 

In the process of discussing with your child about their experiences in the new school every day, you would probably find one or two things that may be of concern. In case you are not seeing any positive changes after a few days or a whole week of resumption then you might need to talk with the teacher in order to chart a possible solution or how the teacher can be of help. The teacher has dealt with other children, they would have a solution to help your child adjust to the new school better. 

Give them time to adjust 

Starting a new thing always comes with its fears and hurdles of how to balance into the new system. Like adults, children also need time to adjust to the new school, especially if they are starting school for the first time. They would need to adjust from having a long time with their parents to going to a new place and meeting new people. 

All through this period, you need to show them more love and care, assuring them that they are in good hands and things will get better. Ensure that they feel supported, let that reflect in your words and actions at least in the first month of their resumption. There some things they would complain about that are just normal, try to remind them that you as the mother have passed through the stage and made it through successfully. Let them understand that everyone passes through one form of challenge or the other and it is what makes us independent. Doing these invariably builds their confidence level and helps them feel reassured every day. 

Our article on six ways to help kids switch from summer holidays to back to school will also interest you.