Getting Organised for a New School Year

Yesterday I was a guest on the TODAY show, talking about getting our kids ready for school. Given the timeliness of the discussion, I thought it might be worthwhile sharing a few points from the interview that might be useful.

One Week To Go

Get things organised.

• If you haven’t got them already, now is the time to have your kids sized up for their new school shoes.
• Make sure their uniforms fit. You want to be making alterations this week, and not on Monday morning.
• Ensure their bag is the right size, and in good enough condition for another year of heavy-duty use.
• Do a grocery shop this week and remember to grab those essential lunchbox items to keep the kids happy and fed at school.

You may also find it helpful to establish a routine a week early! Start putting the children to bed on time each night. Get them up at the same time they'd need to rise to be ready for school. Have them organise their room, get dressed, eat breakfast, and make any other preparations they'd normally need to - and have it done on time! That means that by the time school starts, they'll be familiar with what is expected, and will be in the right routine for it.

Social Preparation

It can be scary for children to go back to school and see a range of new people (especially for first-timers), or a host of old friends who have not had contact for two months. Find some time this week for some playdates with children who will be at school with your kids this week. It can soothe anxiety and set them up for social success as school starts again.

Dealing with anxiety

Have you ever been worried about something? 

If yes, has someone ever tried to reassure you by telling you "Don't worry, you'll be fine. There's nothing to be concerned about."?

 As you probably realised, that response didn't help you. It probably only reinforced that there was something to be nervous about!

If your kids are anxious about starting (or returning to) school, reassure them by doing the following things:

1. Acknowledge that sometimes school can make people nervous.
2. Ask them what they're most looking forward to about school.
3. Ask them who they're most looking forward to meeting, or playing with.
4. Ask them what they're most interested in learning about.

You'll notice that you're not doing any telling in these questions above. If we try to tell our kids something, they know we believe it, but they don't. When we ask them, we give them a chance to think about (and verbalise) what they believe.

These questions will focus our children on the positives. They'll see what's good about their upcoming school experience. They'll become optimistic children. And optimism is related to happiness, good social relationships, doing well at school, and reduced anxiety.

While there are some who choose not to send their children to school, for most of us, it is a necessary part of our children's lives. By organising ourselves effectively in the week leading up to school, we can make sure that our children experience a positive transition into their new routine.