Tips for Parents for Transition to Primary and Secondary
- Promote Independence – encourage the your child to explore, and answer their questions honestly. It can be helpful to reinforce positive experiences that you have had at school (e.g. classes enjoyed, teachers that looked out for them, new friends made). Help your child think about the new experiences they will have so they can mentally prepare for the process. Increase the responsibilities that your child will have at home. School will push them harder – develop their confidence.
- Be Aware and Involved – Check in with your child at the end of each day. Explore different feelings and issues they have. A problem discussed is a problem halved. The greatest source of strength that your child can be aware of is the support of their family and friends. Begin the adventure together.
- Walk Through It Together – When your child is making a big transition, it can make all the difference if they are a bit familiar with what they’re getting into before jumping right into it. Help them know what to expect by walking them through precisely what’s going to be changing. If it’s a change in their schedule that is causing your child anxiety, take time to go over the new schedule together. This can be common in children right before a new school year is about to start.
- Keep Up the Routine – No matter what your child is making a transition into, maintaining a daily routine helps to ease them into the process. Routines let children know what they can expect to happen each day, from the time they wake up until they go to bed. Make sure that the routine you set for your child promotes good health both physically and emotionally. This will include establishing a bedtime that allows for a healthy amount of sleep, regular meal times that include healthy options, and designated homework slots during the school year. Don’t forget to carve in time for fun each day, too! Weekends and holidays may be a bit more relaxed when it comes to keeping the routine, and that is okay. Be sure that your child understands why weekend routines get to be a little looser so that making the transition back to the weekday routine is less painful. If it’s possible to keep their routine similar to what it was before, that can help curb confusion and stress in your child. However, if it must change dramatically due to an entirely new set of circumstances, know that your child can adapt. Children are resilient and can acclimate to a new schedule, but still make sure you are there to offer your support and motivate them to keep moving forward with confidence.
- Seek Out Some Fun – To help make a transition more comfortable for your child, seek out fun activities that they could get involved in. If you’re moving to a new house, keep your eyes open for parks nearby that you see children playing in. You can take your child there, and perhaps they’ll get to know some of the other children there. If your child is transitioning to a new school, they may not know many people around them. Talk to your child about getting involved in one or more after school clubs. This will be a way for your child to meet new people who have similar interests.
- Talk About It – In some instances, it might not be a total surprise to you that your child isn’t happy about making a transition. The unfamiliar is often scarier than it is exciting, so they might not be taking to the transition very well. Talk to your child about how they’re feeling in regards to the upcoming change, and allow them to share their feelings with you. Keep a positive attitude yourself as you have these conversations with your children. As a parent, if you are confident and enthusiastic about the transition at hand, this will likely rub off on your child.
