As a leader in children’s services, we are pleased to share our tips to a positive start top tips to help parents prepare their kids for school:
1. Establish routines before the big day. Practice waking up on time, getting dressed, and having a nutritious breakfast as soon as you can. Find a routne that suits your family, whether that involves preparing lunches the night before or waking up a bit earlier in the morning to get it all done.
2. Encourage your child to speak up. It's okay to express their needs and feelings to teachers and other people around them. Sometimes their excitement or nerves can get the better of them so encourage children to adovcate for themselves.
3. Practice the basic school rules. You can practice things like putting your hand up to ask a questions, asking to go to the toilet and listening. The Getting Ready for School handbook from the NSW Department of Education offers valuable tips to guide you from the first day and beyond.
4. Plan your first day. If possible, arrange an activity for yourself after drop-off on the first day. Emotions can be high so consider treating yourself to brunch, going for a swim, working out, or taking that much needed nap. If you're headed into the office, try treating yourself to your favourite coffee, tea or croissant. Remember, it's normal for parents to feel a mix of confusing emotions on the first day.
5. Utilise the school app. If your school has one, download their app for a convenient way to manage various tasks. Depending on the school you can submit absences, contact the school, and stay updated with the latest news from your phone. A must-have for all parents.
6. Acquaint yourself with school parking and traffic rules. This will come in handy during those busy drop-off and pick-up times. Some local councils even have school parking finders to make your day easier – check out this one from the City of Parramatta.
Did you know?
The Y NSW has listened to families and understands the importance of building strong trusting partnerships. We recognise the benefit to parents and children of the provision of high quality Outside School Hours Care and the difference it can make to a family’s life. Our Outside of School Hours Care runs throughout NSW where we are accredited by the Australian Childhood Foundation as a child-safe organisation.
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