As the new school year kicks off, many mums will be sending their children to secondary school for the first time. It’s an emotional milestone for mums, but it’s also a tough time for the kids, who may be experiencing anxiety at the prospect of moving to a new school and getting to grips with new challenges.
We always try to make life easier for our mums, so we asked Youth Life Coach Bee Flanagan to gave us her top tips for helping the kids adjust to secondary school:
Be Sensitive: It’s important to understand the added daily pressure on your child. These challenges may seem small to parents but for the students they are huge.
Be Prepared: Make sure things like books, homework, school bags and uniforms are all organised the night before.
Routines: Introduce a calm bed time routine if possible to prepare for the busy day ahead
Early Rising: Get your child up ten minutes earlier so that they aren’t rushing and morning stress is decreased.
Communicate: Discuss the day at school with your child in a light hearted manner when they feel like chatting. Avoid overwhelming them with too many questions at once.
Be Organised: Create a daily timetable at home for chilling, homework and catching up on activities. This will give your child a sense of order and control at a time when everything is changing.
Bee Flanagan is a Youth Life Coach from What Will Be With Bee. For more information visit www.whatwillbewithbee.ie or email info@whatwillbewithbee.ie
