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What words of advice did give your dc on their first day in reception?

28 replies

unsureunderneath · 10/09/2012 19:00

DD1 starts tomorrow. She is quite shy and I'm feeling the normal nerves of sending pfb off to school.

Just wondered what you said to your dc (shy or not) on their first day?

OP posts:
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FairhairedandFrustrated · 10/09/2012 19:02

I give her a tissue with my perfume on it so if she missed me she could smell me :)

madwomanintheattic · 10/09/2012 19:02

All the prep was done way before.

On the day itself, I've always said 'have a lovely day, darling'

mogandme · 10/09/2012 19:04

Have fun; listen and take your jumper of if you're doing anything messy!

tanfastic · 10/09/2012 19:06

Tell the teacher if you need a poo! (rather than hold it in because he can't remember where the toilet is) Grin

notactuallyme · 10/09/2012 19:07

No biting.[Grin] tell a teacher. Have fun, lucky you going to school!

unsureunderneath · 10/09/2012 19:07

What prep did you do womanintheattic

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bigTillyMint · 10/09/2012 19:08

None other than "Have a lovely day!" AFAICR!

chrisdriver · 10/09/2012 19:09

Just "Have a lovely day". I still say it to them every day.

Smile
madwomanintheattic · 10/09/2012 19:09
Grin

Lol, just the usual stuff. Nursery and a visit to the school will suffice. Grin

I am loving the 'tell the teacher if you want to do a poo' and 'take your jumper off before you do messy stuff' though. [clearly my children were woefully underprepared emoticon]

BornToFolk · 10/09/2012 19:17

Remember to leave your pants on when you get changed for PE!

Seriously, I did lots of talk about how exciting it would be and how many new friends he'd make etc. Really talked it up. Then I was worried that I might have talked it up a bit too much so we had some chats about what to do if he felt lonely or worried. I talked a bit about how I felt nervous when I started my new job because I didn't know anyone and didn't know what to do and where everything was but now I have friends and I really like going to work (stretched the truth a little bit on this one!)

I made sure he knew what the drill was, i.e. this first week it's mornings only so after lunch I'll be picking him up. We visted the school a fair amount before he started - not formal visits, just walked up there and had a look.

I also realised that I project onto DS a bit. I'm shy in social situations and not great at making friends so my biggest worry for him is that he'll find it difficult to but I've come to realise over the past few months that he's actually quite confident and sociable so I need to just let him get on with it. And he's been in nursery full time for the past year so he really does know about asking to use the loo, sitting on the carpet and listening etc.

It was his first morning today and me and his dad walked into the classroom with him and helped him find his peg, and then he spotted his teacher so I basically said "right, there's Miss, off you go, have a lovely time" and he went off quite happily.

Try and project as much breezy confidence as you can and she'll pick that up from you. Good luck!

unsureunderneath · 10/09/2012 19:18

Phew! She's done the visit, had a get together the local childrens centre organised for new reception children and we've had the one to one with her teacher.

I'm guess I'm just nervous because she doesn't know any of the children she is starting with and she is so shy. On her one to one she didn't speak at all. I'm sure she won't go the whole day not speaking to anyone I though ... She won't will she?

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LBsBongers · 10/09/2012 19:19

Tell people your name, if you are not sure about something or upset tell a grown up they are there to look after you, try and wipe your bum after a poo always wash your hands with soap after you have been to toilet.

Firm kiss goodbye and a brave wave off

I am sure she will be fine

Virgil · 10/09/2012 19:19

I filled both DSs pockets full of kisses and told them that if they wanted one at any time they could just reach in and get one out (MN tip!)

unsureunderneath · 10/09/2012 19:19

excuse typos - sausage fingers on phone

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UsedToBeAContender · 10/09/2012 19:22

My DD is painfully shy and I remember vividly her first day of school. There had been a half day story time sort of visit beforehand with parents watching and I was astonished at how confident and chatty some of the other kids were.

I was terrified DD would be overwhelmed and lost when they went back for their first proper day the next day. Suffice to say that the chatty confident ones were balling and clinging to their parents that morning while my DD went calmly to her desk and started colouring.

Sometimes they surprise you! She will be fine, I find these little ones are incredibly brave and hardy! You'll probably be the one needing the tissues!! Wink

unsureunderneath · 10/09/2012 19:38

Really good advice on here thank you.

I'm a wreck just thinking about it tbh. I can't belive she starts tomorrow.

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AbbyR1973 · 10/09/2012 20:12

It was DS1 first day today. He said he was feeling a bit scared. I told him it was ok to feel a bit scared/ nervous and that the butterflies feeling was his body getting ready for him to do his best and that that is a really good thing. I talked about feeling nervous on my first day at work and that everybody feels the same. Seemed to do the trick with the nerves. He was a very happy boy when he came out this afternoon and looking forward to going back tomorrow.

UsedToBeAContender · 11/09/2012 10:43

Let us know how she got on OP! Smile

noramum · 11/09/2012 11:43

DD told her friends who started Reception last week (DD is in Y1):

Have fun and listen to the teacher.

sparkle12mar08 · 11/09/2012 12:12

Listen to the teacher, don't be rude to anyone, and do as you're told!

blackpoollights · 11/09/2012 12:45

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blackpoollights · 11/09/2012 12:48

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kiwidreamer · 11/09/2012 12:48

Hope your DD is having a lovely day, we are two mornings in and in the car each morning (possibly for the next 10 yrs) we have a chat about 'good listening, doing as you are asked by the teachers and being kind to the other children' paranoidmuch--

kiwidreamer · 11/09/2012 12:49

strike out fail

kiwidreamer · 11/09/2012 12:50

Got It finally