Moving from Preschool to Primary School can be a challenging time for everyone involved, child, parent and teachers alike. It usually means leaving behind friends and teachers and adjusting to a completely new environment. Your child’s step up from Preschool to Primary School and after school Student Care is bound to be filled with changes.
How can you help your P1 child to adapt to these changes?
1. Keep It Real & Help Them To Understand
Start sharing with your little one some of the realities of what primary school is about and what they can expect. Explain the reasons behind the move to a different environment in the best way possible and make sure they understand that the move will be beneficial and in their best interests.
Be straightforward and honest, and do not make wild promises which may confuse them later on.
2. Validate Your Child’s Feelings
Let your child express themselves. It is possible that as you explain and prepare your K2 child for Primary 1, they may feel confused, frustrated and angry even after you have explained why this change is necessary. This is perfectly natural since children can bond very easily with their peers and teachers and they may not want to let go of these relationships.
Do not become angry at them for not understanding you, and allow them to express themselves, as this will relieve their stress and will help them come to grips with transitioning from Preschool to Primary 1 as well as their new Student Care environment.
3. Attend A School Tour
Bring your child to the school’s open house and tour the grounds to familiarise them to the new environment. If you’re not able to attend the open house, show your child pictures of the school and check out the school’s website together. Show them all the positives of their new environment, which will allow them to embrace their new school life better.
If you are also choosing to send your child to an after school care, most also hold tours – e.g PlayFACTO School offers complimentary tours of all our centres.
4. Always Offer Your Support & Protection
The most crucial thing for a child is to always feel a sense of protection and support from their parents or guardians. Be strong for them, because if they realise that you are struggling with the transition, it will show up for them as a struggle as well. Show your little ones that they can always come to you for support and talk to you when something is bothering them about this big move.
Assure your child that their teachers will help them whenever possible and start practicing and encouraging them to raise questions to their form teachers or school counsellors when they need assistance.
5. Create Positive Structures
Routine can provide your child with a sense of stability, security and certainty that can greatly contribute to their learning progress and overall growth. At PlayFACTO school, our focus on Positive Education is ingrained through every part of our curriculum, and our premium after school care creates a secure ‘home-away-from-home’ environment for your child to thrive in. Our holiday programmes in November and December the year before your child starts P1 also helps ease them into this transition better.
H/T: 1movers
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