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But it can also be a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, both for parents and children. Children, though eager, may feel a bit jittery about entering this new world. “Starting school can be an emotional time for parents and children,” says Leslie Barker, Coordinator, Parenting Project with Alberta Health Services. “For children, it can be a big adjustment to get used to going to school for a half day, while parents often worry about how their child will cope. In some cases, they feel a sense of anxiety that their child is growing up so quickly.” Every year, some tears are shed by children and parents navigating new territory. The good news is starting Kindergarten doesn’t have to be difficult. “There are several things parents can do to help ease the transition for their children,” says Barker. “Simple things like talking to your child about what to expect when they go to school can really help ease any anxiety.” Other suggestions include: • Book a health checkup (medical, vision and hearing; ensure vaccinations are up to date). • Ease your child into a new routine. Have her go to bed at school-night bed time for at least a week before the first day. Most children this age need about 10 hours of sleep a night. Get your child up at the school-day wake-up time. • Try a school bus run. Go over your child’s school bus route with her if it’s going to be a first-time bus ride. Find out how long the ride is, and talk about things like bus safety and where to get off. • Take a school tour. Call the school and arrange to tour the school with your child. Help your child find his way around the school. Locate the classroom and the bathroom. If possible, meet the teacher and principal. • Read books on starting school. Your local library will have many titles. • Make a new friend. If possible, introduce your child to a classmate before the first day of school. If not, teach your child ways to make a new friend. Friends can help each other learn about the school routines. • Talk about starting at a new school. Encourage your child to share his feelings. Talk about the excitement of this event. Discuss any concerns your child might have. • Prepare the night before. To eliminate early morning last
(From left) Chealzka Navarro, Dhale Posadas and Miles Gregory Navarro. Photo by Bill Bezzant taken at National Office Supply
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minute rushing, get your child in the habit of picking an outfit for the next school day. You can save time by preparing lunch and packing his backpack before going to bed. Serve a healthy breakfast/ lunch and pack a healthy snack. Children need nutritious food for their brains.
“Children adjust to change in different ways, so parents need to respect their child’s temperament. “When parents are calm but enthusiastic, and reassure their child about this exciting new experience, they can help their child cope.” Barker adds that starting school is a time for adjustment for children, and they need to know that their secure base is still there in order to feel safe when exploring their new world. Some safety tips parents should discuss with their children: •
Make sure your child knows the rules of the road when it
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comes to traffic. Ensure your child knows what to do if approached by a stranger. If your child is taking the bus, make sure he knows the correct route and has a backup plan in case of getting lost. If your child will be going to childcare, ensure she knows how to get there and what the rules are, and has met and feels comfortable with the caregiver. Recognize that the first few days of going to childcare may be stressful - try to have your child familiar with it before starting school.
Social development - new schoolers At the ages of five and six, your child is meeting new people and going new places, often through kindergarten and school. Her world is bigger than ever and as she discovers everything about it, she is away from you more. As this happens, she needs to learn to feel comfortable and confident on her own, with groups of other children and in new environments, such as busy playgrounds and classrooms. Getting along with others At five years old, children often feel good about themselves. They are usually friendly and for the most part, easy to get along with. Newschoolers like to please the important adults in their lives and are often eager to help. They enjoy group games and activities with others. These activities create new relationships and bring about a whole new set of things to learn. Newschoolers are much more aware of the personal power they hold in a relationship and use it to test their ability to make things happen. Some children are physical. They can use this to deal with stress by burning off energy, but it can sometimes lead to aggressive or rough play. Others are verbal and while they can learn to be great at reasoning and negotiating, they can also use these skills to exclude others. The parents of newschoolers need to be understanding but firm. Newschoolers are learning the boundaries of behaviour and they need their parents’ help as they learn to get along with others. When wisely guided through this stage, children learn that their behaviour has its own consequences. They can also learn better ways to get along and express their feelings. Children’s social networks often grow when they start school. Even children who have been in daycare and preschool enter a newer, bigger world in school. School life often has many new and different rules than at home or at a daycare or day home. Play For newschoolers, play becomes a very social activity. They love to play with friends and it is through this play that they learn about themselves, others, and how to get along. Pretend play is much more complex than a preschooler’s and tends to be based on themes such as popular stories, TV shows, superheroes, or social roles. Puppet shows and playacting are popular as children try out new roles, take on other’s thoughts, and learn to cope with their emotions. Boys tend to prefer to play with boys, and girls with girls. Six-year-olds can be full of contradictions. They often seek
approval and attention and are eager to please - then are just as likely to be stubborn and bossy. Six-year-olds are very concrete thinkers (something is either right or it’s wrong, there is nothing in between). They are very quick to point out when another child has misbehaved and, although they like to be treated fairly, may have quite strict rules about what other children can or cannot do when they play. Children this age like games with rules, although they may still find it hard to always follow them. Some children will simply quit playing if they don’t get their way or think others are being unfair. Learning to play by the rules takes time. Newschoolers love to be active and play games involving physical skill. At this stage, physical activity is best if it is noncompetitive. This gives children the chance to develop skills without the fear of failure or not being good enough. Making friends Newschoolers love to be with their friends. Having friends, however, seems to inevitably lead to the occasional disagreements and fights. Your five-year-old will want to set the rules, so will her best friend - and the fight is on. Newschoolers can learn negotiating skills, but may need your help at first. Encourage your child to use problem-solving skills. Try not to rush in and fix all his problems for him or involve other parents (unless it is truly serious). A wise grandmother once said, “The children will get over it long before the parents will.” Let the children know you have confidence that they can work it out and that you are there if they need help. Learning to get along with others is not always easy. Below are some ideas how you can help your children to get along with others: •
Explain your family’s guidelines and expectations when friends are over to play. Children this age don’t need hands-on supervision, but they need to know a caring adult is close by.
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Consistently enforce your limits using kind firmness, appropriate consequences, and problem solving. Focus on solutions instead of blame. Help them come up with ideas for settling arguments. Complement them when they are getting along with each other. Set a good example with your own behaviour. Children learn what they live. Teach children respect by treating them (and others) with respect. Limit and monitor TV, video, and computer time. Children are affected by the violence they see in media.
If parents and children are getting ready to go Back to School, National Office Supply can help. It has a huge selection of school supplies and is having a big 30% store wide sale. Source: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/alberta/Pages/Social-Development-Newschooler.aspx
School Waste Audit • WHERE IS MOST OF THE WASTE GENERATED? • Knowing where most of the waste and what type of waste is generated will help you know the best places to place recycle and compost bins. • WHAT TYPE OF WASTE IS PRODUCED? • If you know what type of waste is generated, you’ll know what type and how many recycle bins you’ll need. Bin Locations • Place recycle bins as close as possible to where the waste is coming from. • Make the decision to recycle easy for everyone. Put the recycle bin beside the general waste bin. Then it’s just a matter of placing the waste in the correct bin without having to go somewhere else to recycle it. Types of recycling points • Your school waste audit will tell you what type, size and how many recycling bins you need. You will need recycling bins for paper and cardboard recycling, food materials recycling, glass recycling and plastic recycling. Label the bins • Don’t forget to let people know which bin is for which type of recycling material, by labeling the recycling bins correctly and listing some of the recycling materials that can go into each recycling bin. This could be a fun class activity! And why not put up some signs throughout your school, directing people to the recycling bin locations as well. Source: www.recylemore.ie
Bullying does not have to be physical for a child to be deeply hurt. Name-calling, threats, mean-spirited gossip, and cruel jokes can all harm a child’s sense of security and self-esteem.
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When a child is bullied Your child may be afraid to tell you that he’s being bullied or teased, but other signs may point to the trauma he’s facing.
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He/she may: • not want to go to school • ask to go to school late and/or come home early • say he has a headache or stomach ache • have things he owns go missing • seem to always be afraid or worried about going to school • suddenly lose a group of friends • be distracted or unable to concentrate on school work or other activities If your child tells you she is being bullied or teased, believe her and listen carefully to what she says. The suggestions below may help you deal with bullying: • Control your own emotions. Overreacting can make your child feel like she’s done something wrong.
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Let your child know that you believe her, you’ll support her, and you’ll work with the school to protect her. Assure your child that no one has the right to bully another person. Help your child develop strategies for dealing with bullies. Work closely with a school teacher or principal to find solutions to stop the bullying or teasing.
When a child bullies If your child bullies and teases other children, you need to take positive action right away. If not stopped, bullies will become more aggressive with time. Work with her teacher or principal to develop a plan. Punishment for bullying is likely only going to create more problems. Instead, make sure your child apologizes to the bullied child and arrange for her to fix or replace what she has destroyed. Make sure your child knows you are there for her. Be clear that you will not fix the problem for her, but you will help her make things right. She needs to assume responsibility for her actions and figuring out how to keep it from happening again. At home and at school, let your child know what’s acceptable and what’s not. Keep rules simple, to a minimum, and ensure
they apply to everyone. Be very clear about your expectations for her behaviour. When there is a problem, let her know in clear, uncertain terms. Kindly and firmly follow through with your limits. Focus on solutions, not blame, and be consistent. If your child is bullying others, you can help by: • Stepping in right away with firm limits and clear expectations of behaviour. Help your child to understand that he can control his behaviour and has choices in how he behaves. • Finding chances for him to behave towards others in caring and helpful ways. • Setting good examples for caring and respectful relationships at home and with others. • Giving your child love and attention. Some aggressive children see the world as a hostile place. They think, “I’ll hit before someone hits me.” Acknowledging and encouraging positive behaviour increases your child’s selfesteem and helps him see the world as a more positive place. • Monitoring and limit TV and electronic games-not as a punishment, but as a way to control the effects of exposure to violent behaviour. Help your child find other activities he can enjoy. • Giving your child chances to be active - outside with you, or in organized activities or sports. • Teaching your child problem-solving skills.