Read MNers tips for supporting your children when starting primary school

[EllieMumsnet]

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Starting primary school is a major milestone for your child, and making that jump from nursery school to primary school isn’t always easy. From making new friends to getting used to the school routine, the changes your child has to adapt to can spark both excitement and anxiety. With this in mind, Tiny Popwant to hear from you about the ways you will make or have made the transition to starting school as smooth as possible.

Here’s what Tiny Pop have to say: “Here at Tiny Pop we recognise what an exciting, yet scary, emotional and challenging time it can be when one of your little ones starts their primary school journey. We think it’s the perfect time for parents to come together and join forces to share the best tips and tricks to support little ones and the wider family as this big change takes place. Tiny Pop is here for you to support you in your new hectic routines whether it’s 10 minutes in front of Super Wings in our Wakey, Wakey segment whilst mums and dads get dressed or some much needed down time at the end of a busy day for Yeti Tales in Cuddle Time on Tiny Pop. We are here for you with old friends and new!”

What are your top tips in preparing your child for starting school? How do you make sure your child gets enough sleep with all the excitement and anxiety in the days and weeks leading up to starting school? Maybe you’ve got a special way to relax and calm them down, or maybe you’ve got some lunchbox and uniform hacks to keep the morning school-run as stress-free as possible?

All who share their tips for supporting their little ones when starting school for the first time will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 vouchers (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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We talked a lot about the process before starting. My little one is confident and chatty so was happy enough but very tired. So lots of chill out time and early nights were needed!

What are your top tips in preparing your child for starting school?
We practice putting on our school uniform, looking in the mirror and standing proudly in it for a photo.
We talk about how exciting it will be, and we talk to other parents and children about starting school.

How do you make sure your child gets enough sleep with all the excitement and anxiety in the days and weeks leading up to starting school?
We just carry on as normal with the usual routine.

Maybe you’ve got a special way to relax and calm them down, or maybe you’ve got some lunchbox and uniform hacks to keep the morning school-run as stress-free as possible?
All lunches are made the night before and put in the fridge ready.
Uniform is set out the night before as is the school bag.
Uniform is taken off as soon as we get home and play clothes are put on. This gives me a chance to check and replace uniform ready for the next day, clean shoes, look in bag for notes from school etc.

get to school as early as the gate opens, will give them a chance to play with their classmates and run off a bit of nervous energy before going in.

You need way more uniform in reception class than you think!! We started off with 2 sweatshirts - day 3 no sweatshirt panic!! Be prepared for your dc to sneeze all over there lovely clean smart uniform!!

Label EVERYTHING!!! Very clearly.

We started the routine a week before
Made sure she could put on and take off her uniform
Let her choose what she wanted to wear (summer vs winter, which socks etc) and how she had her hair.
Booked leave to ensure there was always a parent at drop off or pick up in the first week
Got her big brother to look out for her in the playground
Gave her something very grown up (a chapstick 😂) to keep in her bag now she is at school

5 days in and she is adoring it 😍

I think it's really important to talk to them about going to school, attend any school open sessions /visits etc. However it's vital that we don't show any of our sadness or anxiety about them going as it can panic them.

Talk about it lots in advance but not hyping it up into another major. Please, please, please ask family & friends who are talking to them about it not to term it things like 'BIG' school - this makes it sound scary and little people really don't need this!
Allow them to be involved in selecting their own items that they need to take with them - this makes them feel more involved and also in control.
Practice putting on uniform etc before the start - this will help them - and you, when you can actually get out of the door on time in a morning!
Leave plenty of time on the first day - stressy kids or parents or both is not good.

When the older siblings are down on school, try not to view it as a 14 year sentence, but as a new adventure for the little one.

Give yourself extra time in the morning to get ready so that you’re not stressed and shouty.
Don’t be surprised if, instead of your lovely dc, you find yourself collecting a cranky little grump. They are so tired that first couple of weeks. Don’t take it personally if they take it out on you - it’s a compliment really!
Have a snack waiting that needs no prep, like yogurt.
Create a space for them to play quietly by themselves and wind down after a day of full on interaction with strangers.
Give yourself an extra 15 minutes at bedtime as that can be the point at which they want to talk and tell you all the details of the day. Snuggly chats are the best!

Don't ask them too many questions or keep asking if they have made any new friends. Give them time to get used to the new routine and remember they will be tired after a long, busy day at school.

Keep it low key and make sure they get plenty of rest.

Three kids - eldest started year 1 a few days ago. But thinking back to the start of his reception year last year, we did the following:

1. Talked to him regularly about “big” school and what it might be like, and read him a book called “starting school”. Taught him basic things like how to write his name and encouraged lots of “getting to know you” type conversation, so that he might find it easier to make friends (so for example asking him things like what does he enjoy doing - hobbies etc, what’s his favourite food, his favourite toy etc).

1. When his new uniform arrived he was very excited to try it on which he did several times during the summer, lots of praise for putting it all on by himself and for looking so smart etc.

1. Had to get out of the summer “routine” which in our household means being a little laid back, ie. kids going to bed later. We did this a couple of weeks before school started, for example by starting our day earlier, and giving dinner earlier so around 5.30-6pm which left plenty of time for bath, story, and bed by 7.30pm.

(A nice way to encourage the earlier bedtime was to tell him he could make a “cosy reading nook” in his room, which he loved. He got cushions from all over the house, laid them down with blankets, teddies and his chosen books, then as a family we would all sit/lie down and read together - great way to wind down and something he often still does on a rainy day.)

1. Had his uniform all laid out for him in the mornings so that he could feel a sense of achievement getting ready by himself and often he did this before we even woke up and told him to!

1. He’s an early riser so got a digital clock for his room and encouraged him to look at the time on it before getting out of bed - if it’s 6am stay in bed! (This is something we are still working on LOL!)

1. Took lots of annual leave during the first few settling in weeks so we didn’t have to rely on others picking him up. Both me and my DH dropped him off and picked him up on his first day.

1. No major activities planned for after school or even weekends initially - as he was quite tired after those first few long days.

Giving them a kiss to keep in their pocket.

Something that helped us was letting her wear her uniform loads before the term started, to get used to the feel of it

Depending on the school - kids may get a welcome pack before they start. I hadn't thought of this, but when I opened it - it was perfect! It was a little booklet with pictures of the classroom, teachers & the playground with a little bit of text about what to expect.
It was great to go through at bedtime & prompting conversation/LO asking questions about school.
I encouraged my son to get excited about preparing for school - shopping for uniform, school shoes, etc.
When the big day arrived - he set off super-excited - it was me who was sobbing after being ushered out the playground!!

I would advise what others have said though - don't quiz them too much on what they have done, who they played with & what they had for lunch. Most kids will be absolutely pooped!!

I think accepting the first few days are going to be tough as the routine isn't quite established yet is important.

Help yourself as much as you can. Uniform out the night before, lunches done, water bottles filled and labelled (always label everything!) and get any reading done as soon as they're back from school otherwise it won't get done.

And don't show them your stress/emotion over their first day! It baffles them and heightened their emotions too so just play it cool...if possible !

Talk about school in a general way but positively. Make sure they can do their own self care...dressing, toilets etc. Mine loved picking out their drinks bottle etc so that helped

I think it's best not to make too big a deal of it. Treat it as a big exciting adventure. Kids are really intuitive and pick up on parents' anxieties very quickly - if they see that you're apprehensive it will make them nervous!
Also remember that by the end of the week they will probably be really tired so allow them some "me time" if they need it. My son often has half an hour quietly in his bedroom once he comes home on a Friday

Don't make it a big thing!! Have fun on the walk to school and chat about the fun things they will do and what you can do when they come home so they have something to look forward to!

Try to walk to school with other parents with children from the same class, so they have a friend to go into the classroom

I didn’t have any problems starting school with my children. This may be due to already attending nursery at the same school and also going to school with their friends my children enjoyed

plan a routine and normalize it

I ask around in playgroup if anybodies children are starting in the same school the same time as ours and if so i organise a few playdays where they come over to our house and bond, this way they have friends to go into school with.

Just a big hug and let them go, if you look nervous they sense it.

just talk them calmly thru what to expect several times during the summer