A new school year: how to help him start it right

With the first day of the new school year upon us, it is time to start thinking about how you can help your son transition into the school routine. If it is your son’s first year in secondary school, this transition is particularly important, as academic success is linked with a smooth shift into high school.

Here are some tips for making the transition as smooth as possible.

Establish a routine
After a summer of relaxation and unstructured sleeping patterns, getting back into the swing of school mornings can be challenging for your son. A good tip is to alter bed times and wake-ups to conform to the school routine several days before the first day of school.

Encourage independence and goal-setting
If your son is in his later years of schooling, encourage him to be more independent in his new year school routine by organising his own lunch and packing his school bag the night before.

A new year is an important time for goal-setting. Sit down with your son and help him set some small and achievable goals for 2020. These could include putting together a study or homework timetable or establishing a personal fitness target.

Focus on wellbeing
Talk with your son about any worries or concerns he may have about the year ahead. Most schools now offer wellbeing programs for students. Research shows that practising mindfulness can help make your son’s transition to a new school year easier by reducing anxieties.

Be positive and communicate
The first day of school can be just as nerve-racking for parents as it is for students. Try to be self-aware and keep your emotions in check, as anxious behaviours in parents are often reflected in their children.

Finally, don’t forget to communicate with the school. Attending any available information evenings or orientation events, as well as keeping up to date with regular newsletters and communication from the school, will help make your son’s start to the year all the better.

This article originally appeared on Understanding Boys. It has been edited. Beyond Blue also has some excellent tips on how to support your anxious child at the start of the school year.

Brought to you by Brighton Grammar School