The greatest desire for any parent of school-aged kids at this time of year is for their children to start the school year confident and happy. But have you considered how your own ability to start the school year well might impact your children’s success?
Psychologist; Collett Smart, teacher; Sarah Crawford, and youth worker; Kiran Skariah, are all experts in their fields and know how much parents have on their plates as they support children through the days and weeks of a new school year. This week on Helping Hands, they join Panel Discussion host, Laura Bennett, to bring exceptional insight to the topic of starting the new school year well – for parents.
Psychologist; Collett Smart, teacher; Sarah Crawford, and youth worker; Kiran Skariah, are all experts in their fields and know how much parents have on their plates as they support children through the days and weeks of a new school year. This week on Helping Hands, they join Panel Discussion host, Laura Bennett, to bring exceptional insight to the topic of starting the new school year well – for parents.
Among the many wise contributions of our panellists make during the discussion, Collett first explains that the majority of parents not only carry their own practical, financial and emotional concerns as they step into a new school year, but are also riding the unpredictable emotional rollercoaster that their child is experiencing while trying to maintain a sensible level of calm and encouragement.
“Routine brings stability and helps the house stay calm when kids can predict what’s going to happen,” Collett advises.
While it’s fun to let the routine slide over the school holidays, reestablishing routine by pulling back bedtimes, preparing lunch box fillers ahead of time and being organised before Day One is a great first step to reduce the anxiety parents feel about starting the school year well.
Sarah Crawford agrees that these small steps carry forward from home into the classroom and make a significant contribution to a positive classroom atmosphere. She adds that one of the most important things a parent can do to start the school year well is to put their own school experiences of the past aside and choose to be positive.
“The teacher and the school is working in partnership with you. At the beginning of the school year, you want to start that partnership on a positive note.”
Kiran Skariah has the unique privilege of hearing chatter among the kids who enjoy his hosted gaming sessions online. The anonymous platform provides kids an uncommon freedom of expression without fear of judgement.
A common thread to their conversations, Kiran says, is the impact of change on a child’s wellbeing anytime they start something new, including the new school year, and comments that the avenues of communication are paramount for the ease of everybody, from parent to student to teacher. But Kiran’s wisdom also comes with a warning for parents to choose their times wisely.
“Wait a little bit before you bombard your children (at the end of a school day) … there’s so much going on in their minds. They need some decompression time, some downtime, they will talk when they’re ready.”
Collett couldn’t agree more and adds that at the start of a new school year, parents experience as much change as their children during the transition. Letting your children know they are not alone, and taking appropriate steps to make sure you are also not alone, will not only set you up for success at the start of the school year, but also your children.
“There’s a saying, Calmness is catching, and I think our kids need to catch our calm … new things sometimes make us feel anxious, it’s part of being human.”
Collett, Sarah and Kiran will join host, Laura Bennett, to share so much more from their expertise during the panel discussion on STARTING THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR WELL – FOR PARENTS when Helping Hands airs on DATE on 9GEM, Channel 9 and 9NOW.
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