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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A big good luck hug is all that's needed!

Make sure they go to bed early the night before, and keep the afternoons free for relaxing in front of telly cos they'll be wiped out.

Talk about all of the fun things that school will bring in to their lives, making friends, learning new things and try not to cry when you watch her walk through that school gate x

I think you need to encourage them a lot. Explain that they will make friends and you will be there at the end of the day. I think meeting their teachers beforehand helps as well

We had a little get together on the weekend before school with some of their friends from nursery

Try and keep everything else as normal as possible and don't show that you are nervous for them because it will only make them stressed about going.

by being light-hearted about it and distracting the child with fun things we can do after school

just help them and take their time.

I think the thing that helped the most was that my son had slightly older friends who were already at school so he was pretty keen not to be left out! Just tried not to make a big deal out of it and so its just another day doing something different!

Not to make too big a deal of it, because making it a big deal will make them more nervous and maybe even scared.

Always be positive when starting the day, try to make plenty of time in the morning to get ready as rushing about only makes the child more worried and anxious. Ask them how they feel before school and how the day went after school!

we talk about school , what you might play with , making friends and being kind for a few days before and that seems to help. My little girl has just gone into year 1 and is loving school

I think the biggest factor is not to let any of your own anxieties (if you have any) be relayed to your child. For example, I did not have a good experience of school and I knew I'd miss my daughter like mad when she made the transition from nursery to primary. However, I talked to her about how exciting school will be and how great it was that she already knew how to register and take part in circle time. She was most excited about getting a PE kit so we focused on that a lot.

When DD started school, she didn't know anyone and she is quite shy. I was worried for her. On the first day I went into the classroom with her, a little girl came over to play and I snook-off. She had a great day at school. She was tired by the end of the day, luckily I had been slow cooking Bolognese so she had an early tea and straight to bed. I think for at least the first week I made sure food was ready early because she was so tired.

Dont make a fuss and when they start school, keep to a good routine

alk about what is happening there each day, always be happy to listen to what is going on, be positive about school. Treat it as fun. Tell stories from your own schooldays,

Children are resilient. Don't make too much of a big deal about it.

Preparation is the key ....plenty of visits and chats about starting school keeping it positive and light hearted. Having a short day at the start also helped. Make sure you are not rushed on the first day....less stress all round!

A tricky time for some. I think a lot of the leg work is done before by settling them in at playgroups etc. Talk about school in a positive way long before and read books about it etc so they know what to expect. I used to tell them I had to pop to the shops to buy their favourite treat for later and would pick them up once I had done that which helped them to understand it was time limited. It helps to go with a friend where possible. It is important that they know who to ask if they need help or have a problem, how and where to go to the loo etc.

Don't forget to get yourself a treat too and something to take your mind off it!

My 4 year old started last Friday and is currently on half days for another 2 weeks. He is really lucky having an older brother and sister he is used to being at the school and really excited to start. We have been talking about school over the summer holidays and making it sound very exciting including his siblings in the discussions.

Ask them how there day went, and really listen to the answers.

I just didn't make it a big deal and just told them they were there to have fun (which they did!)

Going to the pre-school for a few months beforehand definitely helped our DD as most of the children in it were then her friends before they all started school and it made the transition so easy!

I think its important to be relaxed as your child will look to you and if you are all stressed about it then they will be too. Make sure you have everything prepared in advance so there is no rushing and give plenty of time to get there. I talked to our son about my first day at school and that school will do so many more things than at home, more friends to play with and so much to learn. Promise to walk by the park or to do something they like afterwards. Its important to listen to them as they come out of school (or back to you if you have a childminder) as I see so many parents who ignore their kids and have their faces stuck to their phones - let the kids have just a little of your time to tell you how their day was! The more they talk to you at the beginning the more they will talk to you as time flys by so quickly and before you know it they have turned into a teenager! Enjoy talking about it!

talk about it in the weeks before and get them excited about it and pick out their new shoes and uniform. Hopefully they will know a few ppl going and maybe meet up with them before they start.