My Son Is Starting School!

It’s amazing, but at the same time, it generates all kinds of doubts and fears. For the child who has not yet separated from his mother’s womb, the beginning of his stage at school means opening up to a new world. New colleagues, new rules, a lot to learn and also to enjoy.

The day our son is going to start school has arrived, and it is usually a time of many doubts. Along with the statement “my son is going to start school”, come hopes and fears, anxieties and joys. Furthermore, these feelings are even more potent if the child has spent the first three years of life exclusively within the family.

Below, we’ll look at some tips to make it easier for children, but also for families, to adapt to school. Keep them in mind to successfully face this new stage for both of you.

What is the period of adaptation to school?

It is not just about new people, activities and environment when schooling starts at age three. The doors are also opened to a world with a structure of rules, permissions, limits and prohibitions that, perhaps, are different from those experienced at home.

To take care of the emotional integrity of children, some institutions have an adjustment period that can vary from school to school, including from region to region.

If you are one of those mothers who tremble when they hear the phrase “my son is going to start school”, you have to know that you are not the only one. Therefore, in some schools, the adaptation period includes families.

Some schools may plan an initial activity so that fathers and mothers are present with their children to get to know the way the teacher works, the physical space and the rest of the child’s colleagues. It is a good opportunity to give little ones confidence in themselves.

My son is going to start school: some ideas for adapting him

Adaptation to school for young children takes place gradually. One of the traditions is that they stay 15 minutes on the first day and, each day, a few more minutes are added. In some educational centers, adaptation takes a month, in others, longer.

It is important to ask about how to approach this procedure when enrolling our children. In some institutions, not many explanations are given, but it is the right of families to demand them.

Some children will be comfortable from the start, others will need more time. In any case, when the family shows serenity and confidence in the face of the new stage, it is simpler to resolve the anguish for the children.

Schooling should be as natural as visiting friends or relatives. Likewise, talking at home about school with calm and familiarity helps to resolve the situation as best as possible.

Certainly, there are no magic answers and solutions, and even less in matters that concern children. Every child is different and it’s important to trust them during this step. After all, at age three, of course, they won’t express their feelings as an adult would.

Patience must be central before, during and after adaptation. This is because, knowing that my son is starting school and must learn new habits in a strange context, I, like Mom, must understand that he is a little angry at home, with different attitudes, with an aggressive or anguished tone.

Tips for a better fit

These are useful tips in the adaptation process:

• The ability to dialogue with the family about the school allows the child to express their doubts and fears. Thus, communication is essential in education at home.
• Moms and dads will want to ask about teachers, peers, activities performed. In this way, the child can feel understood during their schooling.

• It is tempting, especially when children are very young, to allow them to sleep for a few days instead of attending classes. However, during the adaptation period, daily presence is essential. Always with respect, listening and dialogue, we have to ask the child to go to school.
• It may happen that the child reports an event experienced at school that does not call the parents’ attention or that seems insignificant. However, it is essential to listen to everything they have to say, their impressions, their concerns.

In short, young children need a loving and conscientious accompaniment when entering the educational system. The priority must be to give them space to express themselves.

Finally, we must believe that the little ones in the house will feel at ease at school, that they will find their own way of relating, learning and being. This will help them build happy bonds with their peers and teachers.