Mumsnet users share their experience of their child moving up to secondary school with O2

[EllieMumsnet]

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Sending your children off to secondary school can feel like a milestone in your child's life and a big step as a parent. It's likely also a time where your child is seeking more independence, leading you to wonder "is it alright to...?" on a regular basis. With this in mind, O2 would like to hear about your experience or concerns about your child moving up to secondary school.

Here’s what O2 has to say: “#IsItAlright to let them use a tablet at breakfast? We hear you. Parenting is full of #IsItAlright questions, challenges and dilemmas. That’s why we’ve launched O2 Family, to bring advice, safety tools and kid-friendly offers to parents across the UK. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But hopefully we make it a little easier to navigate the everyday messy magic of family life."

September will see a whole new start for loads of kids around the country and parents have to adjust too. Whether you're about to do it, or remember it well, how do you cope with your child making the move to secondary school? Are you giving them the independence of doing their homework without reminding them? Perhaps you’re debating whether the move to secondary school is a good time for them to get a smartphone? How have you changed the rules to give them more independence while keeping them safe? And how are you handling the emotional side of seeing them all grown up (yet still your baby)?

Share your experience or concerns with O2 in the comments below and you could be in with the chance to win a £300 voucher for the store of your choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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I found that being organised with uniform, stationary etc, getting things as soon as you can, Sorting out dinner money, walking the route with your child during the summer holidays so they are 100% confident of doing it without you helps so much.
When my 1st daughter went I was more nervous than her, but with lots of planning, hugs and just being their for them while they settle in helps you both throught the transition.
Let them invite friends round, have pizza nights etc to help them build on new relationships.
But most of all RELAX!!! we have all been there and we did just fine.

My eldest daughter took it all in her stride and enjoyed moving up to secondary. My youngest daughter moves up next September and I'm hoping it will be as smooth for her.

My son wasn't too worried about starting secondary school but I was terrified. He is now in 3rd year and loved high school from day one.

My daughter is just starting her second year in high school. Luckily she enjoys school and doesn't have any worries.
Its good just to talk to them about the change and how it will be very different and to just relax about it, and not get upset as once they are used to it, they will be just fine.

Tell them they will gain loads of new friends.

DS had a wonderful transition to Secondary school, he has ASD, and for the final 12 weeks of primary school he spent one afternoon a week in the Secondary school. He attended lessons, learned where the various classrooms were, and learned all the basics, such as break and lunchtimes, what his timetable would be etc. By the time he started in the September he was not at all anxious, he was happy and confident.

I am worried about the pressure on my girl to grow up too quick she doesn't seem ready or old enough, make up how she looks boy etc. I don't want her to stress just have fun and enjoy her school years and knuckle down and do some schoolwork

Excitement, couldn’t wait to go as she was going to be with same group of friends

My oldest is 6 and I absolutely dread the day she moves up to secondary it makes me so nervous!

I think we sometimes underestimate just how anxieties can soar over the summer term. Transition wasn't helped by the TA at their junior school who prides herself on "Taking no nonsense" telling them they wouldn't last at high school and that one of last year's "Bad Boys" had already been excluded. WTF?! Highly unprofessional!
We just have to give them the confidence to allow things to work out.

It's concerning when they go from being one of the oldest is a small school where everyone knows everyone to one of the youngest in a year group nearly as large as the whole old school!

I think I was more stressed than DD! Some great things happened though, after year 6 at her school she attended a week of half days in year 7 at high school. They were put into groups so they got opportunity to learn the school, try out some lessons, make friends etc.

It gave DD a week to learn the route to and from school so he took her on the train and walked with her and met her to do it back again. By the end of the week she was off and doing it on her own- it felt very strange but we were really proud of her.

Her first week at school they plan it so year 7 have their lunches earlier so they could get used to how things work without being overwhelmed by all the hustle and bustle and older children.

I have to say after two weeks in she absolutely loves it! She springs out of bed at half 6 to get ready and comes home buzzing.

I worry about bullies and cliques as the year goes on, it happens in all schools, but I hope she can come to us if it happens so we can support her. I genuinely hope it doesn't (went through it myself) but that's my fear not hers.

I dreaded DD's first day, and worried for her on how she's handle a schedule, different classrooms, etc. I guess my biggest piece of advice is don't panic, they ARE ready. She coped with it all and came home with a smile on her face.

We are at the stage of looking at secondary schools for next year. My biggest concern is not really school it’s the time on buses and the potential of my dizzy dc getting lost on the way there!

Thanks all for your comments! The winner of the prize draw is @elkiedee

Ooh, thank you, that's exciting!