Preparing for the new school term.

The looming new school term that hangs over their heads seems to sap the joy out of them, reducing them to little robots who cannot understand fun and laughter.

As concerned parents, there are ways that we can adopt to help our children to cope better with such “pre-new-school-term anxiety”. Here are some ways that you can help.

1 ) Getting Organised.

Most children worry about their routines getting disrupted when the new school term starts, making them late or missing out on important dates or school supplies. Make a point to get their school items and supplies organised as soon as possible. A good gauge will be around the middle of December when the children begin to focus on what is to come in January. Bring your children to buy their school books, stationery, and possibly a new school bag (if needed) on a weekday will reduce the stress of squeezing with the weekend crowds.

Moreover, lesser people can make the trip more enjoyable for you and your children. Check that your children’s uniform is still in good condition and fitting. If the uniform is no longer fitting, do get them a new set so that they will look good on the first day of school.

2 ) Prepare your children mentally

Every new school term generate anxiety partly from the children’s inability to anticipate what they will be learning. A good way to prepare them mentally and remove much anxiety from them is to go through their school textbooks with them. You can do this anytime during the holidays, but a good time to do this is after the Christmas holidays as the new term will be starting in a week. You can choose to go through the first few chapters of every subject with your children, or sit with them while they read through the books themselves.

By preparing them mentally with what they will be learning, you can remove some of their anxiety and at the same time, motivate them to develop interest in the curriculum.

3) Easing into the academic rigour

Primary school and secondary school are different ball games. If your children express great anxiety after going through the textbooks because they are fearful of what is to come, you can help them to elevate the stress and anxiety by setting up regular study periods for them. Discuss and agree with them on the timing which they should set aside all things and study or do homework every day, even during the weekends.

Once the school term starts and their time table at school is finalised, you can readjust the study time at home so that it creates a balance of study and play time for your children.

4) Kickstarting a routine

Parents of schooling children know the horrors of a messed up morning routine and how it can stress even the most patient of parent out. Prepare your children for the new school term by starting the morning routine 2 weeks before the term starts. Get a buy-in from your children by emphasising how much they will benefit from a routine that they are already in tune with on the first day of school. To create more cooperation, stick to the morning routine yourself to show your children just how serious you are.

For example, if you have to wake up earlier to send them to school before going to work, do that during the last 2 weeks of the holidays. It will motivate your children to get in tune with the school routines during the holiday when you are doing it together with them.

5) Creating a sleep schedule

In order to keep the morning routine in step 4, you will need to create a sleep schedule with your children. Discuss with your kids (and not order them) what the optimal sleeping hours they need for an alert mind in the morning and then draw up a plan. State bed times for school week and weekend clearly in the plan, making a point to emphasise that the timing is discussed and agreed upon by your children.