With the new school year arriving, parents of school-age children can benefit from these helpful hints from Family Service of Chester County.

Beginnings can be awkward:

Beginning anything, and that includes beginning a new grade, is sure to produce feelings of nervousness and excitement. 

“Nervouscited” refers to this mixture of emotions that can happen within minutes of each other or days apart.  One minute your child is excited about the coming year, and the next proclaiming they are not going.  This is NORMAL! Validate that it can be difficult, but remind them that they can do difficult things.

Expectations:

Take the time to have a conversation with your child about what you expect from them for the coming year, both academically and behaviorally. 

Remember, when talking about expectations, it is best to concentrate on the process (their effort) vs. outcome and remember to be specific.

Instead of setting an expectation of getting straight As, rephrase it as an expectation of doing homework, studying for tests, and doing their best.

Instead of saying you expect your child to be a good citizen at school, talk to them about treating other students and teachers with respect, standing up for others, and appreciating everyone’s uniqueness.

Bedtime:

Set a consistent bedtime for your child, and stick with it every night. Getting enough sleep is critical for a child to stay healthy and be successful in school (American Academy of Pediatrics). It will also make the transition to the new school much less stressful if your child is well-rested.

Listen:

Always remember, the most important gift we can give our children while they transition to any grade in school is to listen. 

So often, we move into “fix it” mode when all our child really wants is to be heard and validated for how they are feeling. 

Reflective or mirror listening is a tool that allows you, the listener, to summarize what you have heard and indicate how you think your child is feeling.

Listen without lectures, judgment, or imposing your solution to the situation.  Try this trick and see how much your child opens up to you!

Transitioning together

Remember that you and your child will get through this transition!  Growth occurs when you step out of your comfort zone. 

Be assured you and your child can get through this transition together.  If you or your child are experiencing difficulties, remember there are people in schools to help.  Enlist the support of your child’s counselor, teachers, or administrator. They are there to help with the transition; use them!

Family Service of Chester County also offers support through fun and engaging programs for children ages 6-17 and their parents/caregivers.

Family Service of Chester County is a nonprofit counseling and human service agency that has been rooted in Chester County, Pennsylvania, since 1947.

It is its mission to provide life-changing individual and family support by removing barriers and providing access to counseling, case management, youth services, and family programs.

Find out more about Family Service of Chester County.