Welcome back to our returning families and a warm welcome to our new families. My name is Belinda Robinson and I am the School Counsellor here at KSPS. Each fortnight I will be sharing information, tips and resources to support the wellbeing of our children.
Starting a new school year can be an exciting time, but also an anxious one. Lots of kids – and their parents – feel nervous in the buildup to their first day back. This is really common, but that doesn’t make it any less stressful! When we talk about resilience, we’re talking about a child’s ability to cope with ups and downs, and bounce back from the challenges they experience during childhood, including starting school, starting a new school year or changing schools. Building resilience helps children not only to deal with current difficulties that are a part of everyday life, but also to develop the basic skills and habits that will help them deal with challenges later in life, during adolescence and adulthood.
Resilience is important for children’s mental health. Children with greater resilience are better able to manage stress, which is a common response to difficult events. Preparation is key to dealing with situations where there are lots of unknowns. The more things feel familiar and controlled, the more your child or young person can relax and feel confident about what’s happening.
As a parent or carer, you can help to develop essential skills, habits and attitudes for building resilience at home by helping your child to:
Here are some strategies and tips to make the transition back to school a positive experience:
· Get back into the school-day routine– waking up, eating and going to bed at regular times.
· Get your child involved in planning out their lunches and snacks
· For anxious kids, plenty of detail can be calming. Talk through the steps of getting to their classroom: "And then we hang up our bag on our hook; we say hi to our friends; we find our seat...etc"
· Stick to familiar routines as much as possible. Try to have a calm evening and allow more time to settle before bedtime if your child is feeling excited or nervous about school.
· Help your child pack their bag the night before. A visual checklist can help them remember what they need to take. Lay out their clothes so everything’s ready for the morning.
· Allow some extra time to get ready during the first few days so that you’re not rushing.
Starting school for the first time?
Sending your little one off to ‘big school’ can be daunting – for parents as much as kids.
As well as the tips above, you could try some of the following strategies:
· Invent a fun routine to make saying goodbye a bit easier – try a high-five, bear hug or secret handshake.
· Talk positively about the day ahead on the way to school and remind your child where you’ll be at pick-up time.
· Drawn-out goodbyes can be upsetting, especially if other kids are getting emotional. Once your child is settled in their classroom, give them some final positive reassurance and beat a hasty retreat.
· Try to limit other activities during the first few weeks – the transition to school can be tiring and kids need down time.
· Schedule a family celebration or a Skype call from grandparents on the weekend to mark the milestone – after all, starting school is a pretty big deal!
[Source: https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/age-6-12/mental-health-conditions-in-children/anxiety/tackling-back-to-school-anxiety;
This year I will be at KSPS on Mondays and Thursdays and I can be contacted through the front office, phone 49575319.
Belinda Robinson – School Counsellor/Registered Psychologist
