Overview
The first day of school is the most important as it sets the tone for the entire year. And when it is the first day of the first class of the first school of your kid, the stakes are the highest. A good first day will create a good impression of school in the kid’s mind. And the bad first day will scare them of schooling forever.
The first day of school is as important for parents and teachers as it is for the kids. Since they control all the decision-making power, the responsibility to make it a smooth experience falls upon their shoulders.
We conducted several interviews with experts, teachers from nursery schools in Dubai, parents, and child psychologists. After long discussions and brainstorming, we were able to draw out four simple tips that parents and teachers should follow to make the first day- a happy first day. Let us learn about them.
Tips to a Happy Day
There is no complex psychology and you do not have to be a Ph.D. holder to understand that kids should feel welcomed on their first day and should not in any way feel left out, threatened, scared, or not involved. In simpler words, the goal should be to make them comfortable.
There are four major components of the day that could decide how the day is going to be. These include the attitude and body language of parents during the prep for the day, the settling-in period for the kid, parents’ behavior as they drive their kid to school and see them off, and most importantly communication with the kid throughout the day.
Attitude and Body Language
Kids absorb more than we anticipate. Every action of ours has an impact on them. Parents should be enthusiastic. What’s important is that the kid should be excited about their first day, about the fresh experiences it brings, and the new friends they are going to make. And it all starts with how parents condition them in the days coming up to their first day.
Prepare them to settle in
Kids should comfortably settle in their new environments. This does not happen without any preparations from parents. Since the international school is going to be a new experience for them, gradually introducing kids to a similar environment will help them anticipate the things that could happen at school.
Do Not Linger
The first day of school could be as hard on the parents as it is on the kids. We often see parents lingering around the school after dropping their kids off. They peep through the windows, loiter around in the galleries. Some even wait the entire school time. This is an unhealthy practice. To make kids self-dependent, you have to have faith in the teacher and your kid that they are going to be okay.
Communicate
We saved the most important for the last. Communication is the key to solving any problem when it comes to kids. You should communicate with them about their first day, enquire how they are feeling, address their issues, and answer their queries to make them comfortable. With these commandments followed, you are going to have a perfect first day at school.
