The beginning of a new school year is also an important moment for us parents: if during the summer holidays we managed our schedules with a certain autonomy, now we find ourselves organizing our days according to the needs and commitments of our children. But above all, we have the task of accompanying our children to face the return to school with a positive spirit. This is why we asked the mothers and fathers of our community how they live this period and what their little strategies to start the school year with serenity.
Here is what they told us.
- Back to school gradually
- A new page to discover
- A matter of atmospheres
- Space operation
- Get organized to start with relaxation
- New school with optimism
Back to school gradually
"Every year I try to create a kind of ritual linked to back to school: on returning from vacation, we 'say goodbye' to the sea toys and put them in the garage, then we take the backpack and the rest of the school equipment, we see what can be reused and what there is to buy, then we dedicate ourselves to afternoon when we go together to choose notebooks, pens & co. The goal is to gradually return Giulia to 'back to school' mode, so that she gets used to the idea a little at a time. And I see it works! "(Sara).
"We too we proceed in stages"adds Filippo:" when we come back from vacation, we let Mattia wake up comfortably for a few days, after which we try to gradually bring forward both the time of awakening and that of bedtime; in the early days, we still maintain some holiday habits for a while, such as a ride to the playground or an evening out for an ice cream. And even when school starts again, we try not to hole up in the house all of a sudden, but to enjoy the beautiful days as long as the weather permits ".
A new page to discover
Much of our children's attitude towards the new school year depends on how we show we live it. This is why it is very important to envision going back to school as something positive, which will offer children the opportunity to rediscover their habits, to learn new things, to live constructive experiences.
As Irene shows to do, who says: "Every year the pattern repeats itself: already while we are driving back from the holidays, we begin to plan what we will do once back home: the sports course to attend, the classmates to find, the diary to buy, the films to see ... it's like turning a new page of a book, ready to discover what surprises it will have in store! And I see that Luca gets involved easily, carried away by our proactive attitude. This year, our Back to School Diary makes the difference: a mix of diary and organizer. The things to do, the appointments of the day and the week, the list of school supplies to buy: Luca is enthusiastic about it and immediately colored it all before filling it out. We have it downloaded at this link, we will use it for the whole year and for sure also in the next ones ".
A matter of atmospheres
Even dad Gianluca focuses on sharing emotions, recalling his childhood: "I remember that as a child the return to school seemed to me like a solemn period: there was no money to buy back all the new school equipment, but mom made me choose two or three things with my favorite characters , which I could not wait to exhibit in class. And then I remember the scent of the books again, which mum carefully bound one by one so that they would not get spoiled and made the 'orecchiette', while I looked at her in admiration by so much skill . A perfume that even today, as soon as I smell it, immediately feels like school. Today books are bound with much less effort with ready-made book covers and there is much more disposable in terms of school material, but I always try to to create a special atmosphere around the return to school. To make them experience it as I did ".
Space operation
One of the tricks that many parents adopt is to prepare the school 'habitat' in time and involve the children in the various preparations. "About ten days before school starts, Martina and I do a sort of 'space cleaning' in her bedroom" says Angela: "we eliminate old and broken toys, throw away pens and markers that no longer write, used notebooks, papers and notes accumulated in the drawers we do not know for how long. And then we do a selection of the clothes that have become small and those suitable for school. battlefield is now a tidy bedroom ready to welcome all new things for the new school year! "
Get organized to start with relaxation
Another good mood strategy is that of make the various pre-school preparations in time, as Raffaella suggests: "I organize myself in time on what to do, so as not to arrive out of breath the day before returning to school: I check if all the books have arrived, I ask the secretariat for a list of the chancellery (last year they had prepared, I hope this year too!) I make an appointment with the pediatrician for the annual check-up, so on this occasion I ask her to fill out the certificate for the sporting activity, we go to the hairdresser to put my hair in order and a check eyesight to see if last year's glasses are still good. And then I go to stock up for the early days snacks. It seems little, but having the road cleared on many small tasks already helps everyone to start with right foot! "
New school with optimism
Some more difficulties may exist if the child is at having to change school, perhaps because a new school cycle has started or because he has moved to another city or ward. How do parents cope with fears of change? "We have recently arrived in this neighborhood and I have noticed that Gabriele sometimes expresses a bit of anxiety about the news that await him, given that he will change schools, classmates, teachers" says Antonella. "To allow him to familiarize himself with the new environment already before school starts, I am trying to I get to know the other families in the neighborhood first with children of the same age: we have discovered that some will attend the same class as my son and I hope they will happen together, because I see that Gabriele is happy with it. "" This year my son will start first grade "adds Simone." I see him quite calm. , even if every now and then he asks me what the new school will be like, if they will have the time and space to play, as was the case in kindergarten. Because his older cousin told him that in elementary school the school becomes more serious, the teachers give homework and you always have to sit at the desk. To allay your fears we went together to see the new building, he discovered that there will also be a nice garden there where they can play during the intermission, and then he already knows that he will meet in class with some friends from the 'old' school . In short, finding an after all familiar environment reassured him ".
From the words of the parents it is clear that a new school year is always an adventure, which, with the right guidance, children will tackle with enthusiasm and with a smile!
TAG:
- back to school
