Changing schools is a big deal for any child. Along with leaving friends behind, they’ll also be anxious about making new ones. You may be worrying about your child and wondering how you can help ease the transition.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to put your child’s mind at rest. Whether you’re preparing for a new school move or you’ve already made the move, these tips are for you. Take a look at what you need to know.
Explain The Move
If your child’s life is going to be disrupted, he’s going to want to know why. Perhaps you’re moving to a new community for a new job. Maybe you’re not happy with the school your child is currently at.
Whatever the reason for moving, talk to your child about it. Explain that the new school will be just as good, if not better, than the old one. Be as honest as you can while remaining mindful of your child’s feelings.
Offer Your Time
Children will often express how they really feel when you least expect it. One of the best things you can do in the lead up to a school move is offer your time. When you’re busy packing to move home, it’s easy to get distracted and miss what your child is trying to tell you.
Try and set time aside to go to the park or do something your child enjoys so you can initiate conversation. It can help to get your move organized with a moving company so you don’t have to worry about it so much. iMOVE is a great place to compare moving companies that could help you.
Related Post: Tips for Packing a Self-Move Trailer
Let Them Have Closure
If you’re moving to a new area and changing schools, it’s important to let your children have closure. If it’s the last time your child will see friends for a while, let them spend time together and say goodbye. Let them say goodbye to teachers that they’ve grown fond of and places they’ve enjoyed spending time at.
For children, it can be close to grieving when having to say goodbye to things they’ve known for their whole life. However, it can be far worse if they’re not given the chance to get closure before leaving.
Support Learning
Moving to a different school could mean that your child has a whole new set of educational expectations. It can help to learn about the school’s curriculum and find out what your children will be learning at school. Meeting your child’s teacher could be a good way to get the information you need and put your child’s mind at rest.
If your child needs to learn a new language, it can help if you start learning as a family. Keep checking in with your children’s teacher for the first six months to ensure you’re doing everything you can to help them settle in.
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