How to Prepare a Child for Public Elementary School?
July 22, 2024 10:49 AM
My wife and I have never attended public elementary school, so we have no idea what to expect or how to prepare. Our 6-year-old boy will be the youngest in his 1st grade class, and holding him back was not an option.
Would love to hear any advice, tips, or insights you have on:
+ How to help him adjust socially and academically
+ Ways to support him in being confident and comfortable in a new environment
+ Tips on building a good relationship with his teacher and classmates
And anything you think relevant!
Would love to hear any advice, tips, or insights you have on:
+ How to help him adjust socially and academically
+ Ways to support him in being confident and comfortable in a new environment
+ Tips on building a good relationship with his teacher and classmates
And anything you think relevant!
Let him know he will have to ask permission to leave the classroom (to use the toilet, get a drink) and that there are set times for breaks, including lunch.
posted by Juniper Toast at 11:40 AM on July 22
posted by Juniper Toast at 11:40 AM on July 22
I was surprised how much academic ground they covered in Kindergarten, so be sure he knows his ABCs, can read and write three letter words / “kid code” phonetic spelling is OK.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 11:44 AM on July 22
posted by St. Peepsburg at 11:44 AM on July 22
Reach out to his teacher and share your questions with them.
I worked as a substitute teacher's assistant in a bunch of public schools in my area and each school and classroom is different.
His teacher will be able to help him best adjust to the particular vibe of their classroom and also should have some great ideas for you to support him outside of school. His teacher should also be happy and thankful to have a picture of what his academic/social skills are like currently so they can be prepared to best help him learn all the things.
I want to say thanks for being so supportive of your kid and so engaged in his learning journey. Many kids do not get that support at home and your kid will thrive at public school as long as you are there for him all along the way.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 11:54 AM on July 22
I worked as a substitute teacher's assistant in a bunch of public schools in my area and each school and classroom is different.
His teacher will be able to help him best adjust to the particular vibe of their classroom and also should have some great ideas for you to support him outside of school. His teacher should also be happy and thankful to have a picture of what his academic/social skills are like currently so they can be prepared to best help him learn all the things.
I want to say thanks for being so supportive of your kid and so engaged in his learning journey. Many kids do not get that support at home and your kid will thrive at public school as long as you are there for him all along the way.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 11:54 AM on July 22
My parents moved such that I missed kindergarten and went straight into first grade, attempting to join a cohort who all knew each other from K, and it was one of my life's central traumas.
Please advise your son that the beginning will probably be horrible (although simultaneously, very interesting) and by the end of the day, things will improve. Also the second day will be SO MUCH BETTER than the first (just like at a new job, or school).
Basic skill my classmates all had, which I lacked: knowing left from right. Suggest writing an L and R on his old shoes now.
Make sure he is toilet-trained!
The nose another potential danger zone. Make sure he has a handkerchief, and knows how to use it - discretely, if possible.
posted by Rash at 12:05 PM on July 22
Please advise your son that the beginning will probably be horrible (although simultaneously, very interesting) and by the end of the day, things will improve. Also the second day will be SO MUCH BETTER than the first (just like at a new job, or school).
Basic skill my classmates all had, which I lacked: knowing left from right. Suggest writing an L and R on his old shoes now.
Make sure he is toilet-trained!
The nose another potential danger zone. Make sure he has a handkerchief, and knows how to use it - discretely, if possible.
posted by Rash at 12:05 PM on July 22
Make sure he has a handkerchief, and knows how to use it - discretely, if possible.
A counterpoint: make sure he has disposables tissues and knows how to use them. A child using a handkerchief in a contemporary America first grade classroom would be treated like a sheep's carcass thrown into a cage of hyenas.
But your point about "it gets better" is empathetic and insightful -- and I applaud you for making it. I changed schools every few years as a kid, and would have benefitted from this reminder. :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 12:11 PM on July 22
A counterpoint: make sure he has disposables tissues and knows how to use them. A child using a handkerchief in a contemporary America first grade classroom would be treated like a sheep's carcass thrown into a cage of hyenas.
But your point about "it gets better" is empathetic and insightful -- and I applaud you for making it. I changed schools every few years as a kid, and would have benefitted from this reminder. :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 12:11 PM on July 22
Getting used to the length of the school day is a must and I remember it being exhausting even after having done half-day kindergarten.
Be sure to have a snack ready when you pick them up and maybe try to keep the hours after school unscheduled so your kid can decompress.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 12:32 PM on July 22
Be sure to have a snack ready when you pick them up and maybe try to keep the hours after school unscheduled so your kid can decompress.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 12:32 PM on July 22
Being the youngest in my class was really hard and in retrospect it amplified various other difficulties.
There's lots of good practical parenting advice here, but I also think that you should strive not to make your kid weird or the odd one out, because as the youngest he may struggle to manage developmental milestones anyway. I know that some of my problems came from the fact that I just basically wasn't as grown emotionally or socially as most of the other kids and therefore had trouble navigating stuff, and this was amplified by being a weird kid from a weird family.
My parents were good, loving parents and on balance none of what happened was their fault, but I wish they had:
1. Let me do normal school things - they hesitated about field trips, etc even though I was a very good and obedient kid, and as a result I missed out on a lot of class bonding stuff
2. Let me watch and read what my peers watched and read, within reason - a lot of very average kid stuff was forbidden at our house
3. Helped me to dress a little more like my peers. Instead I was always wearing weird clothes and really old hand-me-downs that often really didn't fit and having weird haircuts because my parents didn't care about stuff like that and I was pretty young and then pretty poorly socialized at school and didn't understand. We did in fact have the money, plus doting, well-off grandparents - I could not have dressed like a Rockefeller, but I could have had regular clothes. Ditto for haircuts and glasses.
None of this would have solved every problem for me, but because my experiences and possessions were so different from the other kids', I stood out right away when I really needed to be able to just have quiet time to try to catch up socially. Sadly, I think this is one area where global production and fast fashion can help you - it's a lot easier to get a kid a few new clothes or shoes to replace anything unsuitable now.
posted by Frowner at 12:41 PM on July 22
There's lots of good practical parenting advice here, but I also think that you should strive not to make your kid weird or the odd one out, because as the youngest he may struggle to manage developmental milestones anyway. I know that some of my problems came from the fact that I just basically wasn't as grown emotionally or socially as most of the other kids and therefore had trouble navigating stuff, and this was amplified by being a weird kid from a weird family.
My parents were good, loving parents and on balance none of what happened was their fault, but I wish they had:
1. Let me do normal school things - they hesitated about field trips, etc even though I was a very good and obedient kid, and as a result I missed out on a lot of class bonding stuff
2. Let me watch and read what my peers watched and read, within reason - a lot of very average kid stuff was forbidden at our house
3. Helped me to dress a little more like my peers. Instead I was always wearing weird clothes and really old hand-me-downs that often really didn't fit and having weird haircuts because my parents didn't care about stuff like that and I was pretty young and then pretty poorly socialized at school and didn't understand. We did in fact have the money, plus doting, well-off grandparents - I could not have dressed like a Rockefeller, but I could have had regular clothes. Ditto for haircuts and glasses.
None of this would have solved every problem for me, but because my experiences and possessions were so different from the other kids', I stood out right away when I really needed to be able to just have quiet time to try to catch up socially. Sadly, I think this is one area where global production and fast fashion can help you - it's a lot easier to get a kid a few new clothes or shoes to replace anything unsuitable now.
posted by Frowner at 12:41 PM on July 22
Has he been through kindergarten/pre-K? Has he had trouble adjusting up to now? Will this be the first time he's the youngest in his class? Or is the main worry here just that this is a public school as opposed to private or Montessori or...?
Are there any activities he can do before the school year starts where he might get to know local kids a bit? Does he generally have a tendency to be shy or struggle socially? If so, does it seem to bother him? (I wasn't great socially at that age but also didn't really care.)
Does he know how to play well with others? Things like passing the ball/toy and not hogging it, making room for everyone to play, not being a sore loser? (A lot of his classmates probably won't have those skills yet either, of course.)
Some schools will let you come in before the school year starts to learn the layout and meet the teacher. That way things are less disorienting on day one.
I wouldn't worry ahead of time, to be honest. (And definitely don't let him feel like there's anything to be worried about!) But if he hasn't already been introduced to this idea, it might be worth working with him a little about how school is meant for learning things, and for getting to know new people, and a lot of times when you're doing something new you don't know how to do it in the beginning; so instead you just keep practicing and getting a little bit better and a little bit better and that's what it's all about. Maybe in the time before school starts you can practice learning something new just to practice practicing, and being patient with initial results. You could also practice general confidence things like going up to strangers (waiters in a restaurant, employees in a store) and asking them for a small bit of help or information. I wouldn't push any of this though; only if he seems into it and ready.
I can't recommend any offhand but there are probably plenty of books and also TV episodes about starting at a new school.
maybe try to keep the hours after school unscheduled so your kid can decompress.
Yeah, he might not be in the mood to talk a lot about his day (or at all) until he's rested a bit.
posted by trig at 12:45 PM on July 22
Are there any activities he can do before the school year starts where he might get to know local kids a bit? Does he generally have a tendency to be shy or struggle socially? If so, does it seem to bother him? (I wasn't great socially at that age but also didn't really care.)
Does he know how to play well with others? Things like passing the ball/toy and not hogging it, making room for everyone to play, not being a sore loser? (A lot of his classmates probably won't have those skills yet either, of course.)
Some schools will let you come in before the school year starts to learn the layout and meet the teacher. That way things are less disorienting on day one.
I wouldn't worry ahead of time, to be honest. (And definitely don't let him feel like there's anything to be worried about!) But if he hasn't already been introduced to this idea, it might be worth working with him a little about how school is meant for learning things, and for getting to know new people, and a lot of times when you're doing something new you don't know how to do it in the beginning; so instead you just keep practicing and getting a little bit better and a little bit better and that's what it's all about. Maybe in the time before school starts you can practice learning something new just to practice practicing, and being patient with initial results. You could also practice general confidence things like going up to strangers (waiters in a restaurant, employees in a store) and asking them for a small bit of help or information. I wouldn't push any of this though; only if he seems into it and ready.
I can't recommend any offhand but there are probably plenty of books and also TV episodes about starting at a new school.
maybe try to keep the hours after school unscheduled so your kid can decompress.
Yeah, he might not be in the mood to talk a lot about his day (or at all) until he's rested a bit.
posted by trig at 12:45 PM on July 22
I'm assuming you are in the U.S.
Honestly, the best way to help him is to set up clear and open lines of communication with his teacher from day one. I always told/tell my kids teachers, "We are partners in this endeavor and whatever you need to be successful in helping my kid be successful, let me know." I also volunteered in the school and made myself known (in a good way!) so that if there was a problem, I could be looped in ASAP.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 12:47 PM on July 22
Honestly, the best way to help him is to set up clear and open lines of communication with his teacher from day one. I always told/tell my kids teachers, "We are partners in this endeavor and whatever you need to be successful in helping my kid be successful, let me know." I also volunteered in the school and made myself known (in a good way!) so that if there was a problem, I could be looped in ASAP.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 12:47 PM on July 22
One important thing you might not realize is that many of the children your kid will meet already have bonds that transcend the classroom, due to their parents' community bonds. At age 6 and 7, kids are very immersed in family networks and tend to more easily accept even the quirks of children who they recognize as fitting into their world from outside school.
For that reason, I would strive to get to know some parents, especially of kids yours seems to click with. Invite parents / families for a social visit, chat with the parents on text about the school and community in a friendly way and then let the friendship grow more, just try to make some friends yourselves with parents from the classroom. Volunteer to help in the classroom or trips and be friendly to other parents who do the same. This will really help your child be part of school in a way you might not realize now.
posted by ojocaliente at 1:36 PM on July 22
For that reason, I would strive to get to know some parents, especially of kids yours seems to click with. Invite parents / families for a social visit, chat with the parents on text about the school and community in a friendly way and then let the friendship grow more, just try to make some friends yourselves with parents from the classroom. Volunteer to help in the classroom or trips and be friendly to other parents who do the same. This will really help your child be part of school in a way you might not realize now.
posted by ojocaliente at 1:36 PM on July 22
Please do not tell your son "the beginning will probably be horrible."
posted by Text TK at 1:57 PM on July 22
posted by Text TK at 1:57 PM on July 22
Great questions, @trig! Here are some answers in case you have specific guidance that may help others.
> Has he been through kindergarten/pre-K? Has he had trouble adjusting up to now? Will this be the first time he's the youngest in his class? Or is the main worry here just that this is a public school as opposed to private or Montessori or...?
Private Montessori from ages 4 to 6, but he was in a mixed-age class where he was originally the youngest then became the oldest.
> Does he generally have a tendency to be shy or struggle socially? If so, does it seem to bother him?
He's usually shy at first, but eventually makes friends.
> Does he know how to play well with others? Things like passing the ball/toy and not hogging it, making room for everyone to play, not being a sore loser? (A lot of his classmates probably won't have those skills yet either, of course.)
Generally yes, though he is sometimes a sore loser. (Not sure if he express it, but he'll sometimes stop doing something if he struggles.)
posted by shrimpetouffee at 2:08 PM on July 22
> Has he been through kindergarten/pre-K? Has he had trouble adjusting up to now? Will this be the first time he's the youngest in his class? Or is the main worry here just that this is a public school as opposed to private or Montessori or...?
Private Montessori from ages 4 to 6, but he was in a mixed-age class where he was originally the youngest then became the oldest.
> Does he generally have a tendency to be shy or struggle socially? If so, does it seem to bother him?
He's usually shy at first, but eventually makes friends.
> Does he know how to play well with others? Things like passing the ball/toy and not hogging it, making room for everyone to play, not being a sore loser? (A lot of his classmates probably won't have those skills yet either, of course.)
Generally yes, though he is sometimes a sore loser. (Not sure if he express it, but he'll sometimes stop doing something if he struggles.)
posted by shrimpetouffee at 2:08 PM on July 22
Get your kid's eyes checked if they haven't been already.
First grade was when my nearsightedness started to become an issue. I probably entered first grade ever so slightly nearsighted but no one realized it because I was unconsciously squinting. But suddenly having to sit for hours while focusing on a distant blackboard overwhelmed my ability to compensate and I went through a few months of getting painful, nauseating headaches like clockwork every afternoon. It was pretty scary, but a trip to the eye doctor and a prescription for glasses solved everything.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 2:12 PM on July 22
First grade was when my nearsightedness started to become an issue. I probably entered first grade ever so slightly nearsighted but no one realized it because I was unconsciously squinting. But suddenly having to sit for hours while focusing on a distant blackboard overwhelmed my ability to compensate and I went through a few months of getting painful, nauseating headaches like clockwork every afternoon. It was pretty scary, but a trip to the eye doctor and a prescription for glasses solved everything.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 2:12 PM on July 22
If you can give him a chance to meet up with a couple of his future classmates before school starts (Playdate at the park or a pool?) he'll at least know a couple of kids when he walks in on the first day.
Most public schools around here post the teacher assignments a couple of weeks before the start of the year.
posted by mmf at 2:33 PM on July 22
Most public schools around here post the teacher assignments a couple of weeks before the start of the year.
posted by mmf at 2:33 PM on July 22
Just as a framework for thinking about this from the perspective of his daily experiences: I know our Montessori preschool/kindergarten really emphasized the community and one's progression within the three-year cycle. The eldest kids were leaders and role models, and genuinely helped the youngest, both physically and emotionally. Conflict was handled on a very granular level, with lots of teacher support and guidance though also a sense that sometimes deliberately not intervening was what'd help most. Of course a public school could be all of those things too, but exactly none of mine were at all, and the kids who've joined our current school from other schools (public and private) definitely tend to start out with very different expectations.
posted by teremala at 4:41 PM on July 22
posted by teremala at 4:41 PM on July 22
I just want to chime in and say that I think I was probably the youngest in my class, but I don’t know, because it wasn’t a big deal at my school and it never became a big deal for me. I think you’ve gotten some answers for kids for whom it was a big deal, and I just wanted to provide the counterperspective.
It did get very annoying when all my friends could go to the bar that actually carded whenever they wanted, but you’re 14 years out from that problem.
posted by moosetracks at 5:01 PM on July 22
It did get very annoying when all my friends could go to the bar that actually carded whenever they wanted, but you’re 14 years out from that problem.
posted by moosetracks at 5:01 PM on July 22
I'd also caution you not to intentionally or unintentionally set your kid up to expect a bad experience or trauma. Kids can be sponges for their parents' expectations and anxieties.
I was the youngest in my class by a long shot until third grade, and I repeated third grade (on scholarship at a private school in a different state) to bring me into pairity with the rest of my new cohort. Like moosetracks, this caused me essentially zero distress, and I don't think it ever occurred to me that it could have. I had friends in the school where I was the youngest and I made new friends at the new school; the hardest part was slowly losing contact with my previous-school friends while I integrated into the social world of the new school (there was a significant class divide).
I'd say what did help me was my parents' unflagging willingness to facilitate socialization--they went out of their way to drive me to friends' houses, overnights, parties etc. and, in retrospect, gamely socialized with my classmates' parents. It didn't occur to me until I was in my early twenties that they weren't actually friends with them.
posted by pullayup at 5:07 PM on July 22
I was the youngest in my class by a long shot until third grade, and I repeated third grade (on scholarship at a private school in a different state) to bring me into pairity with the rest of my new cohort. Like moosetracks, this caused me essentially zero distress, and I don't think it ever occurred to me that it could have. I had friends in the school where I was the youngest and I made new friends at the new school; the hardest part was slowly losing contact with my previous-school friends while I integrated into the social world of the new school (there was a significant class divide).
I'd say what did help me was my parents' unflagging willingness to facilitate socialization--they went out of their way to drive me to friends' houses, overnights, parties etc. and, in retrospect, gamely socialized with my classmates' parents. It didn't occur to me until I was in my early twenties that they weren't actually friends with them.
posted by pullayup at 5:07 PM on July 22
I don’t know rich your area public schools are but be prepared for folks from different socioeconomic status than you’re used to. Some of the parents may be working 2,3,4 jobs and some might not be involved in schooling as your peers parents were when you were growing up, or they may have different ways of handling kids then you are used to (in my area Montessori parents are generally more “intentional”)
posted by sandmanwv at 6:32 PM on July 22
posted by sandmanwv at 6:32 PM on July 22
We went through this exact transition with both our kids, 6 years apart. Here's what I learned:
- the biggest change for my oldest son (besides all the different rituals) was having to do "math" at "math time" even if he didn't choose it/want to do it, etc. He had been in year-round Montessori. For my younger son, we put him in some more traditional (like sports/activity) camps the summer before grade 1 so that he got used to a differently structured day in a fun environment. That seemed to help.
- In a good Montessori the teachers are really trained observers and engage with the kids almost before the kids know they need anything. In a traditional public school, learning to speak up and ask questions is a skill. I just started to encourage my kids to ask adults things like order for themselves, ask for the shoe they liked at the shoe store in their size, etc.
- agreed on the toilet/left/right stuff. Can he open and close his lunchbox and jacket and so on...those things can help with the little bits of the day that feel big. I recommend easy shoes and containers.
Given that it's not that far away though, I think the best thing is to have a good summer.
Once school starts, prioritize breaks and sleep over any homework-like things. My kids both went through a lot of emotions mostly related to marching to the public school day schedule, as noted above, and so at home I had a lot of sensory stuff like playdough for them to smash around, had picnics so as to relax the rules of sitting at the table, etc. Basically make a cosy home space for recovery. It took to the Xmas break for them to adjust.
For public school survival skills the most important thing I think is for you as parents to hook into the parent community. Is there a Facebook group or other for parents of your school? Once school starts, you want to try to get into the parents' -- usually mums' - group chat for your kid's class.
If you can hang around before/after school some for the first few days, that's where you are likely to meet the organizers. This is helpful for all the unwritten information like that the librarian is really picky about covers or which teachers have a harder time with wriggly kids. Exchange texts asap. That before/after school time can be a good time to meet other kids too (although if your kid is in after care, that will be a built in group.)
If you can volunteer on the PTA or equivalent, or field trips or class helper or whatever, it's a good idea. I hated it but it was worth it. If you can't though, that's okay.
I don't know if the cutoff age-wise for your school is in Sept or Dec or some other month, but a invite-the-whole-class birthday party is not a bad idea in grade one. For us we had at a party place, and concentrated on networking with the parents who came. That was a nice way to start consolidating social stuff and arranging playdates (my older son had a August birthday, so we had a late September school friends party.)
posted by warriorqueen at 6:45 PM on July 22
- the biggest change for my oldest son (besides all the different rituals) was having to do "math" at "math time" even if he didn't choose it/want to do it, etc. He had been in year-round Montessori. For my younger son, we put him in some more traditional (like sports/activity) camps the summer before grade 1 so that he got used to a differently structured day in a fun environment. That seemed to help.
- In a good Montessori the teachers are really trained observers and engage with the kids almost before the kids know they need anything. In a traditional public school, learning to speak up and ask questions is a skill. I just started to encourage my kids to ask adults things like order for themselves, ask for the shoe they liked at the shoe store in their size, etc.
- agreed on the toilet/left/right stuff. Can he open and close his lunchbox and jacket and so on...those things can help with the little bits of the day that feel big. I recommend easy shoes and containers.
Given that it's not that far away though, I think the best thing is to have a good summer.
Once school starts, prioritize breaks and sleep over any homework-like things. My kids both went through a lot of emotions mostly related to marching to the public school day schedule, as noted above, and so at home I had a lot of sensory stuff like playdough for them to smash around, had picnics so as to relax the rules of sitting at the table, etc. Basically make a cosy home space for recovery. It took to the Xmas break for them to adjust.
For public school survival skills the most important thing I think is for you as parents to hook into the parent community. Is there a Facebook group or other for parents of your school? Once school starts, you want to try to get into the parents' -- usually mums' - group chat for your kid's class.
If you can hang around before/after school some for the first few days, that's where you are likely to meet the organizers. This is helpful for all the unwritten information like that the librarian is really picky about covers or which teachers have a harder time with wriggly kids. Exchange texts asap. That before/after school time can be a good time to meet other kids too (although if your kid is in after care, that will be a built in group.)
If you can volunteer on the PTA or equivalent, or field trips or class helper or whatever, it's a good idea. I hated it but it was worth it. If you can't though, that's okay.
I don't know if the cutoff age-wise for your school is in Sept or Dec or some other month, but a invite-the-whole-class birthday party is not a bad idea in grade one. For us we had at a party place, and concentrated on networking with the parents who came. That was a nice way to start consolidating social stuff and arranging playdates (my older son had a August birthday, so we had a late September school friends party.)
posted by warriorqueen at 6:45 PM on July 22
be prepared for folks from different socioeconomic status than you’re used to.
This could be important, especially if your child doesn't have a lot of experience with people who come from different levels of privilege & resources. When I was about that age (and transitioning from a private kindergarten), I didn't understand why some kids got "free lunch" and why one boy in my class was "allowed" to sleep in class.
At some point, someone explained to me that not everyone gets enough food at home, that I was lucky if my parents didn't have to worry about packing my lunch for me. And the kid who was sleeping in class: his parents tended to fight a lot, and he couldn't sleep while they were up yelling at each other.
These things would have never occurred to me before, and I'm glad for the experience--especially now that I've had all these decades to incorporate it into a worldview. But I was really bewildered at first, not knowing what was what, and I may have been unkind (I truly don't know, but I am a snarky adult, so it's likely I would've said something not-nice back then). So I'd just say be available to talk to your child about some of these bigger issues, and gently correct if you hear them talk about other kids with snark or judgment.
posted by knotty knots at 7:07 PM on July 22
This could be important, especially if your child doesn't have a lot of experience with people who come from different levels of privilege & resources. When I was about that age (and transitioning from a private kindergarten), I didn't understand why some kids got "free lunch" and why one boy in my class was "allowed" to sleep in class.
At some point, someone explained to me that not everyone gets enough food at home, that I was lucky if my parents didn't have to worry about packing my lunch for me. And the kid who was sleeping in class: his parents tended to fight a lot, and he couldn't sleep while they were up yelling at each other.
These things would have never occurred to me before, and I'm glad for the experience--especially now that I've had all these decades to incorporate it into a worldview. But I was really bewildered at first, not knowing what was what, and I may have been unkind (I truly don't know, but I am a snarky adult, so it's likely I would've said something not-nice back then). So I'd just say be available to talk to your child about some of these bigger issues, and gently correct if you hear them talk about other kids with snark or judgment.
posted by knotty knots at 7:07 PM on July 22
Consider how to make holding him back a year an option. We put our oldest son in school when we could have waited a year, and we regretted it his entire school career. There was a work-study program he wanted to join, but he couldnt because he was 17.
posted by Billiken at 11:29 AM on July 23
posted by Billiken at 11:29 AM on July 23
Create a parent whatsapp group and ask the teacher to share it to the families. Host a little gathering for the whole class before school starts - could be a Saturday at the school playground and you bring treats, or at a local inexpensive casual cafe, or someone's house, or the public library. A chance for the kids to break the ice and for you to get chummy with other parents.
You being pals with other parents makes a HUGE difference for the happiness of a young kid. More invites to playdates and birthday parties, more insight about school issues, what teachers to request or avoid, and extra emergency childcare on the odd day things go screwy and you need a school pickup.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:45 PM on July 23
You being pals with other parents makes a HUGE difference for the happiness of a young kid. More invites to playdates and birthday parties, more insight about school issues, what teachers to request or avoid, and extra emergency childcare on the odd day things go screwy and you need a school pickup.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:45 PM on July 23
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
I think being good at a school sport would have given him confidence in general and socially.
posted by beccaj at 10:56 AM on July 22