Were your kids running back to the school gates first day of term or dragging their tired little feet with a look of deep despair? Every child is different, some revelling in the unpredictability of holiday life and others craving structure and routine. With two kids of our own, we think preparing kids for a fresh new year ahead is always a good idea, even for the ones who can thrive in less controlled environments.
How do you ensure your child has a good year at school? Here are a few back to school tips from Jordbarn, that can help you bring your child into the new school year, to set them up for success and happiness.
As parents of young kids ourselves, we’ve picked up some great tips for parents who want to help their child transition well in a new school year.
Love and support your kids into school
Initiating open communications and engaging in honest conversation, with mindful listening on your part, can ensure your child feels important and heard. Whether or not you are aware they have the jitters before embarking on the new school year, just open the dialogue just in case. If they are nervous, let your kids know that you are aware of their fears, that their fears are NORMAL, that they are supported and loved, and that you will help them through this period for as long as they need you. It really helps to share your own past experiences of a nervous new year, to relate and keep perspective.
Introduce yourself to the teacher as fast as possible.
If the new teacher knows you and you both communicate well from the start, it’s bound to be a better year. Establish a line of communication your child’s teacher by introducing yourself to them early on in the term before things get set. This could not only help the teacher gain insight into your child’s interests and strengths and or anxieties, it can also help ensure you receive consistent messages and support from classroom to home. And that is a better learning environment.
Preparation and routine is the best – Fortnight off!
Many of us are a little more relaxed about our kids’ bedtime and daily activities over the term or long Summer holiday break. As such, a week or so before school begins it’s a good idea to start to really get on top of your children’s bedtimes and routines. You can get them back into the habit of waking to an alarm or the radio or some gentle audio from one of many mindfulness apps. Encouraging them to spend some time in their day reading and writing along with pulling back screen-time (which inevitably creeps up over the break) is also a good idea. A more controlled routine ahead of term means that when it is the time for school to start, your child can ease into the back to school routine without tears, dramatics and cold turkey detoxing from Fortnight!
Uniform, kids backpacks and kids bento lunch boxes – make them excited!
The new school year is an exciting time to start afresh with new schoolbooks, pencil cases, uniforms, backpacks, lunchboxes and water bottles. There is something so satisfying about handwriting your name on a fresh schoolbook full of hope for the year and fresh new gear for a new school beginning. At least that’s how we felt.
At Jordbarn, we have taken the effort out of researching the best ethical children’s school gear by designing and developing it ourselves. All our back to school range is of the highest quality, designed in Australia by us - a Mum and Dad team who know the needs of school and play, like a 500ml leak-proof, BPA Free, water bottle for kids, bento boxes with unique removable, washable sections (that allow you to fit a sandwich one day or a snack the next) and thermal bags to store all the cool stuff such as yoghurts and cold meat. To carry it all around, our sturdy kids backpacks, are made to last, with secure zips that won’t bust in a day. And they all come with a great, signature cultural learning dimension, each presenting a cute little Chinese lunar character for the kids to choose from. Remember Jordbarn is the one-stop shop for all your child’s quality and ethically made pre-school or school items.
