QUEENS CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER PROVIDES 10 TIPS ON GETTING YOUR CHILD READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL

Getting your child ready to go back to school after a summer of fun is never easy. The Queens Child Guidance Center has called upon its expert, Dr. Barbara Greenstein, Ph.D., Deputy Executive Director of Queens Child Guidance Center, to provide you with ten tips to make the transition a bit less stressful for you – and your child:

1. Always be positive and enthusiastic about the start of school. It’s a new beginning. A very good approach is to say something like “I am so proud that you passed your last grade and are moving ahead in school. You are really so grown up!”

2. Give your child a count down to the start of school, for example, “Only one more week until school starts!” or “School starts in two days!” Younger children need a daily reminder starting about three days before the start of school.

3. It’s always good to get a sense of how your child feels about returning to school or starting a new school. A good way to open a dialogue about this is to ask your child, “What are you most looking forward to in starting school this year?” and then “Is there anything you are not looking forward to in starting school this year?”

4. For the positive responses, join in their excitement, for example, “Yes, it will be great to see your old friends,” or “Yes, this year you can try out for a sports team.”

5. For negative replies, it is important to get your child to talk about his/her worries. If he/she expresses a minor concern like “I dread having to get up early,” a simple response like “I’ll personally wake you until you get used to it,” or “I’ll buy you your own alarm clock,” if that’s financially possible, will be adequate.

6. For more serious worries like “I am afraid of the class bully who picks on me,” or for South Asian children, “I am afraid because the kids call me a terrorist,” a number of talks and reassurances may be required, such as “If you are bothered, I will get involved in a way that will protect you.” For children who refuse to go to school because of such fears, professional support may be needed.

7. For young children who are just starting school and separating from you for the first time, anxiety could be high. A visit to the classroom in advance, if possible, is always helpful for adjustment. This allows the child to see the new environment. Be sure to give yourself a little extra time to help your child get comfortable at drop off time. The teacher will help with this process too. Adjusting to separating from you may take some time.

8. Never sneak out because you feel that saying goodbye will further upset your child. Your child will have greater difficulty overcoming fears of separation and become more clingy if he/she thinks you “disappear”. Always say goodbye with a hug and a reminder that you will be back at 3 o’clock to pick them up. The idea that Mommy/Daddy always comes back is the key to coping with separation.

9. When children are struggling with separation, giving them a photo of you or a small possession of yours to take with them to school can increase their comfort level. This will help your child feel that a little “piece of you” is with them all day.

10. Make the first day of school special by making a special breakfast, buying your child something new to wear or providing a new pen or back pack. Be sure your child gets a good night’s sleep.

11. Be sure to wish your child a great first day of school and discuss how the day went when they return home.

Your interest and involvement in your child’s education is essential to his/her interest and success in school. Don’t forget to feel proud of yourself for your child’s achievements!

About Queens Child Guidance Center
The Queens Child Guidance Center was established in 1953. Our mission is to promote the emotional well-being of children and their families. The Center supports children and families at community and school-based sites so that they grow to feel loved, secure and self confident; be successful in school and/or later work; and have empathy for others. We counsel children, adolescents and parents with problems such as adjusting to life in a new country, depression, acting out behavior and substance use. We intervene to protect children from abuse and neglect. We visit homes to safeguard children and youth who have thoughts of harming themselves or others. We enhance the development of children and youth through tutoring, after-school programs and day care. Our bilingual and bicultural staff, who collectively speak more than 30 languages, serve 12,000 children and their families annually.
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www.qcgc.org