Tips for parents of this years reception kids

[roseyposeysmum]

Just that really - it is a bit of a minefield.

How many items of uniform, packed lunch or school dinners ? Any tips to make it all easier ?

DS is in Reception at the mo.

He has 5-6 shirts, 3-4 jumpers, and 3 pairs of trousers.
He's packed lunch most days, school dinner when he wants it.

Get lots of uniform if you can I like only having to iron one batch every week (I know that not everyone irons etc!) And then I can wash a weeks worth of whites together.

School dinners - at my school they are £2.10 a day. DD has packed lunches. It won't kill them to have the same boring sandwich every day if they like it. Make sure they can open/close their lunchbox/drink bottle themselves.

My main tip - have them practice getting their uniform on and off themselves, plus putting it in the PE bag. Make sure you bring the PE kit home for washing occasionally (we only wash it each half term but is reception so not playing rugby or anything)

Teachers don't bite, if you want to ask them loads of questions or have a chat about something, make an appointment to see them rather than try to nab them after school.

You will have no idea what your child has done for 90% of the day. Even if they can remember, they won't tell you because they are tired and grumpy.

definitely teach your child that whateverthey take off (whether full clothes for swimming, just shoes and socks for light indoor PE, gloves/hat/sunhat - whatever) it goes straight into their bag. not 'near' it, or on the peg as well as it, but inside.

I have managed (and I don't know how - clearly dd is a clean freak!) with:

2 winter pinafores and 3 polonecks.
and 1 (yes, 1 ) summer dress - this is because it washes/dries so easily though, and never needs ironing.
1 jumper (she never wears it as is always boiling in her classroom).

I also only wash PE kit every half term - although dd is playing rugby, even in reception .

everything labelled, permanently - laundry pens wash out ime, so cut to the chase and sew tags in. firmly.

Keep things low key for the first term at least not too many after school activities or play dates (if any).
Label everything with your child's name.
Try and get into the school routine a week or two before your start.
Prepare as much as possible the night before (lunch box, uniform, book bag)
Make sure they can get dressed independently, manage zips, buttons, shoes etc.
Maybe packed lunch to start as it will be more familiar and at least you know there's a chance they will eat it if you've packed it yourself with things they like.
Good luck :)

Don't compare your child to others, don't be drawn into gossip about teachers/ta's/other children, and take most playground gossip with a large pinch of salt. Similarly, complaints from your child that they are bored/friendless/doing nothing at school should be taken with a degree of suspicion.

We have a full set for each day. I started with 3 sets but very soon realised I hate doing a mini-wash Tuesday evenings as DD came home covered in felt tip, food or mud most days last autumn.

I had to stock on gloves and hats as DD lost a couple of, obviously single, gloves during winter. So they can wear another pair while you hunt down the lost property box, something you will become very familiar with. And it also means you have one nice set for weekends.

Label everything, 30 other children will wear similar items and use similar bags, bottles and boxes. We have three very unusual keyrings on DD's book bag to help her identifying it from the pile of 30.

DD has school dinners. We pay for her to have milk each morning and they have a piece of fruit (apple, pear or carrots) as well.

Be prepared to ditch all evening routines as your child will come home and is knackered. DD nearly fell asleep during dinner a couple of times. Other days she just cried her heart out and nothing worked. It gets better by autumn half term.

Our school has a lot of events parents can come and Reception children expect you to be there. If your school publishes a diary you could check and see what happens so far this year. I need at least one full week holiday to attend various events like end of term services, class assemblies, plays, parent meetings etc.

If in doubt about something just ask. The children will get confused and tell you something but mean something else.

Empty the bookbag each evening and answer all letters as soon as possible.

3rd and last child coming to end of Reception:

Make sure they know how to do up/zip up their coat and put on their shoes.

Label everything.

Agree with don't compare and don't do too many after school activities.

Don't label anyone's child as the naughty one, as yours may be the naughty one the following term.

Im a yr R teacher. Ds has been there and dd will be in september.
Id say for uniforms 2 of everything. 1 to wear and 1 to wash uunless you know you wont wash nightly if needed. Waterproofs are a must. Trousers,jacket (not all in 1s) and wellies plus spare socks. A decent winter coat.

I think school dinners are best, easier for you and more filling but i do let ds take a packed lunch in the summer. If they are hungry or dont eat much in the first week, dont panic its just new. If you are making sandwiches, make them for the week and freeze them. Butter, cheese and ham freeze, mayo doesnt.

From a school point of view. Name EVERYTHING. Prepare dcs by getting them to dress/undress independently, including tights, shoes and zips on coats. Practice name writing, using scissors, counting objects and recognising numbers.

From a mums point of view take tissues (for you), dont prolong goodbyes. If they do cry its usually for your benefit and they'll stop as soon as youre gone (i promise).

Everyone says they are shattered after scholl. Is this true for kids who are used to full days at nursery ie 8-6 3 days a week??

When DD1 was in reception, and I asked her what she had been doing, I was always told "It's a secret". I think she had just lived that day, and couldn't be bothered to re-live it for me!

So, I quickly learned to shut up, and wait for her to tell me what she wanted to, in her own sweet time. I then did this with the other two, as well.

They all talk to me about everything, now, including the really important stuff.

Also, just a little practical tip. They may be ravenous when they get out of school. Make sure you have a snack for them to eat on the way home, as a boost in blood sugar could well keep the grumps away. DS would cry if I forgot his snack for some reason.

DD just finishing reception, I'm eternally grateful to the mum who organised for us all to go the pub for an evening at the end of each term. Great to get to properly know the other parents I have superficial conversations with at the school gate every day, and great to swap the teeny tiny snippets of information each of our children gave us to put together a more complete picture of what they actually do in the course of a week.

If you can find out anything about their school routine then you can ask questions that are more likely to produce answers. "what did you do today?" always gives the answer "colouring" from my DD. But "what songs did you do in singing assembly" gives a proper answer, and maybe some extra bonus information!

Dresses with zips good for girls, and the M&S tights wash and wear better than the tesco ones!

We've done packed lunch every day - I don't know how people afford school dinners every day, I guess they just have more money than us!

CMP69, it depends on the child. I think.

DS1 was fine and he used to do 10 till 4 at nursery 3 days a week.
DS2 was fine and he only did 9-12, five days a week.
DS3 was really tired in the first term and he did 8 till 3, 3 days a week.

Properly label everything. An initial in pen on the tag may mean you know it is your child's but wont help it make it's way back to you eg if your child comes home in the wrong top and it is labelled you can do a swap with the other mum. No label you have to give in into school and have no idea who has yours.

Keyrings - put them on PE bags, reading folders so it is easy for your child to spot theres in a pile of matching folders.

Stock up on stain remover!

Calendar - get into habit of noting down dates as soon as you get them, checking folder daily for bits of paper - you don't want to be the one to forget non uniform day. Alot of schools seem to use parentmail.

Do check they can open packaging if on packed lunch. Ready peel fruit etc. They have very little time to eat. I put cut up fruit/veg into little pots for DD. practise getting it out of the lunch box and packing away. If on meals get them to carry the plate to the table.

Don't assume they will be tired. DD was used to day nursery 8.45-6pm so didn't find 9-3.15 tiring.

For girls - have hair in a style that can be tied back for nit avoidance. I spray DD's with de tangler with tea tree oil in, tightly plait and spray her hair with hairspray. It was a tip a read in a magazine - DD is end of yr 1 and has avoided them so far touch wood

Re the school dinners, I put my DD down for them every day at a cost of £1.90 a day, because the menu looked great, really varied and healthy.
What actually happened was that every day she would pick out the least healthy bits, eg fishfingers, bread and a biscuit, and ignore all the fresh food. IME 4 year olds shouldn't be given too much choice, as they don't understand about healthy eating. So now she's on packed lunches every day except 1, so I have more control.
I second the points about them being starving after school and tired for the first half of the year.

DD had been doing 9-3 at preschool but she was still more tired after school. Just coming to the end of reception now and she is coping much better but still grumpy!

Occasionally we had managed 2 or even 3 wears out of a cardigan but most days has needed a full clean set of uniform daily. I got lots because I have no tumble drier (as well as the ironing thing) I will also add, try to keep a few £1 coins in your purse at all times - they often need a random pound or two for various dressing up days etc.

And they may have elections for parent governors - think about joining I have learned lots about how school works by joining (this is my first experience of primary school since I left mine in prehistoric times )

DD is in reception now, she started with:
2 jumpers
2 joggers (reception uniform at her school)
3 polo shirts
1 PE tshirt
1 PE shorts.

Using the school's 2nd hand uniform sales (run by PSA, 50p an item) I then got 2 more polo shirts and 2 more jumpers, plus 2 summer dresses and 2 cardigans as and when I saw them.

Also, I bought her uniform last July, between buying it and starting school she'd grown 3 inches (!) so I had to return it all and buy the next size up. So consider whether your DC is likely to do the same!

Label clothes well, and multiple times (I do on hem and on label(s) usually,with iron on labels/permanent biro). Label shoes, bags, coats, hats etc etc - I found the Easy2name funky shoe labels excellent, DD's have outlasted her actual shoes!

DD has FSM so school dinners every day. You can normally tell what was for lunch just by looking at her clothes... :o

Get something (keyring, tag etc) to attach to the bookbag, DD puts hers in a box with all the others from her class, finding them is a bit interesting at the end of the day, especially now they're practising for year 1 and doing it themselves (no afternoon TA in year 1 here).

Get them to practise putting uniform on & taking it off. Make sure that they know when changing for PE NOT to remove pants and socks :o apparently there were a fair few naked ones in DD's class the first couple of weeks of trying. Also check when they need PE kit from - our reception doesn't starting changing till after Easter as their uniform is joggers anyway. Try not to send them in tights on PE days, they're tricky to change.

Practise carrying a tray with some food on and keeping it level if they're having school dinners.

CMP - my DS was used to doing those sort of days at nursery 3 days a week. I was on mat leave when he started school so I did transition him slowly - only 2 full days for the first half term, then 3 till December, then 4 till the Christmas break. I was worried about him as he was only just 4 when he started and as I was off anyway I had the luxury of staggering it all slowly.

In hindsight, I think he'd have been fine if I'd ramped it up quicker. But I know I certainly didn't get any of these 6pm bedtimes people talked about! He continued to go to sleep after 8, up soon after 6. I just have one that doesn't need a lot of sleep I think.

Just as a total aside - I have cursed in the past the number of times I have had to leave work to collect ill children from nursery. The upside seems to be that he has now got 100% attendance for this year at school as his immune system is obviously v good. Guess that also proves he can't be too rundown.

Incidentally my son has just had a wonderful first year. I'm glad I get to do it all again with my other son as I don't think I enjoyed it properly first time round with all my worrying!

Disctinctive keyrings on everything.
Distinctive coloured school coat (if allowed) as there will be 300 navy and black ones on the cloakroom floor
Socks that are fairly large thus easy to get on and off
Distinctive lunchbox

A reception teacher once told me,
"If you don't believe all the tales they tell about me, I won't believe all the ones they tell about you"

Every water bottle known to man WILL leak. In their bag at the end of the day.

Get more uniform than you think you will need.

Agree with others - don't rush to buy PE kit. DD only started getting changed into her kit after xmas, by which time I think she'd outgrown her daps.

Send them in with a coat even on hot 'summer' days, as it will pour down by lunchtime and your child will come out of school looking cross and saying loudly 'It's lucky, LUCKY, isn't it mummy that school has a spare coat?'

DS is now finishing y1 and still cries if I forget his snack!

Label EVERYTHING.

Invest in a water bottle that has a good seal and top; it might cost a bit more but I got very fed up with everything in the book bag getting soaked regularly.

Talk to teachers if you have any problems. They would much rather that than you sit worrying or festering over issues.

We need 5 jumpers, 5 shirts, 5 trousers - DS is a messy eater...

The tips that helped me most would be:-

Don't cling to them at the school gates or hover over them in the queue - keep goodbyes brief and cheerful. (Even if you feel a bit teary yourself - even if they've been to nursery the first days of them being in uniform in school can be a bit of a shock)

School dinners are non-negotiable for us with DS - so much easier and he gets something different every day. Luckily he's an omnivore. If you do a packed lunch make sure your child can eat everything in it independently e.g. score the skin of the banana so it's easy to peel, open any packs and secure with a clothes peg so he can easily get in to everything.

Get out of the habit of zipping your child's coat for them, helping them with their shoes etc. Teachers don't have time to do this for 30 kids in the class.

Don't bother with sew-on name tags - a permanent marker pen for fabric is all you need. In-shoe stickers with name printed on are good though.

Don't panic if your kid says they've got no friends and nobody played with them - check with the teacher. They sometimes say this because there was 5 minutes where no-one was playing with them. Also, if you talk to the teacher she'll know that your DC is finding it tough and will act accordingly.

Bring a healthy snack to the school gates - DS is so ravenous at chucking out time that he will eat anything I give him.

If any of you have children who are a bit weak and feeble and can't open water bottles easily, I'd like to recommend Sistema water bottles which I found via a recommendation here. They're not expensive and are really easy to open and shut. Think Sainsbury's have them at the moment.

Just remember that your child is not the first, nor the last to start reception. Don't fret the small fry - you can bet your bottom dollar that your child's teacher will have seen it all, and more!

Try to enjoy this exciting new phase together - if you show your excitement and enthusiasm (don't go over the top though!) then it will rub off on your child.

And yes, bring a snack at pick up time because they always seem to be extremely hungry!

Also - watch out for tears at home time, not just in the morning. DD sobbed all the way home after her first day at school - she was used to nursery 8-6pm, but school was different, and new and I think the relief of having her first day over was released in tears!

CMP69: my DD had four full days at nursery, 8am - 5.30pm and had the first 4 weeks half days only.

She was shattered.