Navigating School Transitions

Whilst this time can be exciting it can also represent a period of heightened anxiety. Like through any period of transition, parents play an enormous role in helping their children adjust and cope with these changes.

As parents, there are a number of steps you can take to help your child through their period of transtion:

Familiarisation is often key to reducing stress levels. Make sure to familiarise yourself with the school and its programs and find out what resources are available to your child.
Encourage your child to make connections. Talk to your child about opportunities at the school and the clubs, sports teams, or extracurricular activities they may like to consider to facilitate connections with teachers and other students. You can also model this by reaching out and connecting with other school parents.
Set achievable and specific goals together. A transition period presents a natural opportunity to set some new goals e.g., making new friendships, trying a new sport or co-curricular.
Encourage organisational skills e.g., maintaining school belongings, keeping track of important dates/events.
Support them when they need help. Normalise any mixed feelings or feelings of worry during this period (e.g., you could share with your child how nervous/excited you felt when starting a new job) and don’t be afraid to reach out to the school for assistance.