First Day of School Jitters
The beginning of the school year doesn't need to cause anxiety, to kids and many parents alike.
The fear of the unknown brings the sweats in all of us, I know because every first day of school I find myself pushing down my own jitters, while re-assuring my children that its gonna be great.
You can sugar-coat the pill however with preparation and good-old-fashion distraction.
Preparation helps kids visualise the big day.
Talking with kids about topics such as who will be in the class, or where the class is located the school grounds, if the teacher is new and where is she coming from, etc, can help kids create their own map of where they stand throughout their first day, and therefore managing expectations.
When it was time for my children start the first grade, their kindergarten teacher ceremoniously walked the class to the local school for a meet-and-greet with their first grade teacher, the previous spring. By experiencing the new environment and what the class-setting will look like, the kids know what to expect and fear of the unknown is minimised. How amazing is that? The joys of living in Switzerland.
The Art of Distraction: Surprise them with Little things
Distraction on the other hand is a life-saver for moments where reason eludes young and excited minds, and fear unfortunately tries to take over.
When all else fails, its helpful to have stock of things that can distract children from their stress-causing focus, like the novelty of a personalised stationary set, a new eraser, or markers that are also necessary in the school bag.
