How To Start A Great School Year
- by XpatAthens
- Monday, 14 September 2020
With schools having just started, kids and parents are getting prepared for the new school year; children are happy to see their friends again and share their summer vacation news.
However, this year, the return to school will be different. With COVID-19 still going strong, this year's return will be a new experience for children, parents, and teachers – it's much like mapping an unknown territory. So how do you prepare your child to deal with the new conditions in their daily life? I'm not referring to masks or hand washing. I'm talking about the emotional part that we accidentally overlook sometimes.
Start with yourself. How do you feel about your child going to school? If you are worried, so will your child. If you think that the situation will continue to be terrible, your child will believe the same. If your attitude is positive and centered, your child will have the same attitude. Let me remind you that children copy and reflect on our emotions. The more calm and stable you are, the better it is for your child. If you have younger children, there's no need to add to their stress. It is very imperative to assure them that it's okay if they forget some rules. After all, that's what the teachers are there for.
Listen to your child and their concerns, let them speak, and don't rush to offer your opinion. They may be afraid their friends won't go to school this year, and they will lose them. If you notice a denial on their part, this may be why they don't want to go either. Talk to them about friendship, how relationships change so that if there is a change, it'll be easier for them to accept it.
Take their worries seriously, even if they do not seem important to you. Research shows that today's children are under a lot of stress–they do not need any more from us. What they need is our love and support to meet the challenges that this school year will bring.