Switching schools is never easy on the child. Not only do they have to leave all of their friends behind, but now they are placed into an environment in which they don’t know anyone around them; making them feel scared and alone. It’s important to be there for your child during this process because it is very stressful for them.
Here’s how you can make changing schools easier for your child.
Talk to your child
It’s not uncommon to receive the question “Can we go back home?”. This is an indicator that they don’t like their new environment and wish to return back to the old one. Unfortunately, that’s not always an option.
What you need to do is talk to them. Try to comfort them and let them know that it’s okay to be nervous around new people. Assure them that you know it’s not fun to leave all of your old friends behind but they will definitely find some new friends at their new school.
Choose the new school together
Giving your kid the choice to decide where they will be going will make them feel much better. They may not have had the choice to stay at their old school, but at least they got to choose what school they would transfer to.
So if you have the option of letting your child decide, let them. It will make them feel more confident about everything.
Visit the new school together
As mentioned before, being in a new and unfamiliar environment is difficult for your kid. Not only that but if they are lost and don’t know where to go on their first day, it can be extremely frightening for them.
To prevent this, try taking your kid to the school before their first day. That way, when they arrive at school, they will have a good idea of where to go.
Let your child meet the teachers before the first day of class
This is also to allow your child to get familiar with the new surroundings. Plus, when they meet a really nice teacher, it’s extremely comforting to them because they will have someone to go to if they need help. Having this makes them feel like they aren’t alone anymore because they have a friendly familiar face.
Add your kid to the online group of there is one available
Not all schools have this, but some schools have online groups where the whole classroom signs up. It’s usually a place about the homework assignments and getting help but you can also interact with the class as well.
In a way, this is like your kid introducing themselves to the class.
Find out more about the classmates
What is one of the biggest reasons for people becoming friends? The sharing of similar interests. When you know what the interests of the other people are, it will make it a million times easier for your child to make a connection with someone. You never know, this may be the beginning of a friendship that lasts forever.
You should only ask the teacher for phone numbers of your child’s classmates or their email address and run a quick reverse phone lookup or email search via Spokeo. With the Spokeo people search engine, you could find out social media profiles of the classmates and read about their interests and also take a look at their life. It will be very helpful for your kid to know such information.
Buy them new school materials
It’s understandable that some people are struggling financially so it can be difficult to send your child to school with a bunch of new clothes. If you are fortunate enough to be in a position that allows you to buy your child new items, do it.
The sad news is that kids can be awfully mean at times. It doesn’t matter if your child is poor or not, if kids see someone wearing a dirty outfit, some of them are going to pick on them. Having your child picked on at school can be heartbreaking to hear. This doesn’t mean you have to buy them the newest and coolest looking items, just make sure they have enough clothing.
Of course, you need to check in with the school dress code. Some require students to wear uniforms while others do not. If a uniform is required, you will want to get that as quickly as possible. If a school doesn’t require a uniform, it’s still a good idea to know what the dress code is so you won’t accidentally send your child to school with something that’s not allowed.
Give it time
Your child is not going to like being at a new school and that’s completely normal. Just give it time and sure enough, they will be more comfortable at the school and everything will be better.
Maguire Haigh is a marketing manager for Spokeo. He is interested in the latest technology trends, marketing strategies and business development. He also prefers traveling, exploring the world and meeting new people. Maguire has great experience in creating and editing articles on different topics.