The first weeks at school are not only an exciting experience for a new-born first grader, but also a serious challenge, a real stress. Preparing a child for school is not just about teaching him the skills of writing, counting and reading. Psychological, physical and emotional readiness is very important.
Take your child to school shortly before the start of the school year. Show him where not only his class is located, but also the changing room, dining room and, of course, the toilet. Of course, the teacher will explain everything to children in their first days at school, but the child can get lost in the abundance of information. The problem with the toilet can turn into a real disaster if the kid is ashamed to ask again.
Start teaching your child to school in advance. Of course, in the last days of summer you want to soak up your bed a little longer, but for this pleasure you will have to pay dearly at the beginning of the school year. Children will already have enough physiological stress, do not add to it a sharp change in regime. It will be useful for the parents of first graders themselves to "get on track", because there is nothing worse than when the school year begins with a child with hasty preparations, full of nervous prodding, or constant delays due to your fault.
Read books to your child about first graders, in which children are faced with different "school" situations and pass through them with honor. These stories and stories perfectly prepare the child for school, allow them not only to discuss what they have read with their parents, but also to express their fears, to speak out and overcome them. It can be:
- "First Grader" by Evgeny Schwartz;
- Ella First Grade, Timo Parvela;
- "The Epic of Fierce First Graders" by Grigory Oster;
- "Shoot, Two Portfolio and a Whole Week" by Yuz Aleshkovsky and others.
Saida Sakharova's book "Kalinkin School for First Graders" will also help prepare the child for school. In addition to a curious narrative, it contains a lot of practical advice on how to behave at school, how to assemble a portfolio, choose a simple pencil, and create a daily routine yourself.
At a meeting of parents of prospective first graders, try to meet mothers whose children will study with yours in the same class. It would be nice to agree with them about several joint walks. If on the first day of school the children are not surrounded by "outsiders", it will be much easier for them to get used to school everyday life.
Make it clear to the child that you will be there. Try to take a vacation for the first weeks of school and let your child know that you are ready to help him immediately. The mere feeling that mom or dad has put off everything and "insured" him, can instill confidence in your child. If your future first grader doesn't have a phone yet, buy him the simplest model and teach him how to use it. He should not be tormented by the thought that something will happen, and he will not be able to contact you.
Talk to your child about how worrying before the first day of school is normal. Let family members share their school stories with him, talk about their experiences, show pictures. Prepare not only your child, but also his emotional relatives for school. Tell them that on the baby's first "working" day, there is no need to cry with happiness and pride, overload the baby with your worries and disorient him. The family mood barometer should keep at the “calm joyful” level, avoid the storm of emotions. The future first grader has enough of them.
