Making new friends in school

It’s the first day of school, and your child doesn’t know anyone.  They are scared and nervous and don’t know what to expect.  Give them some help finding friends.  If you are taking them into their classroom on the first day, introduce them to the children sitting next to them.  Teachers often put nametags on the desks so you can let your child know the names of the kids sitting by them.  After you tell them the kid’s name, ask them to repeat it back.  If your child cooperates, have them say hi to the other child and tell them their name.  It’s the first day of school, and your child doesn’t know anyone.  They are scared and nervous and don’t know what to expect.  Give them some help finding friends.  If you are taking them into their classroom on the first day, introduce them to the children sitting next to them.  Teachers often put nametags on the desks so you can let your child know the names of the kids sitting by them.  After you tell them the kid’s name, ask them to repeat it back.  If your child cooperates, have them say hi to the other child and tell them their name.   Making new friends are basic social skills that get better with practice.  Help your child develop these skills in other areas such as play lands and parks.  Then when it comes time to make new friends in a classroom, your child has overcome the shyness that is associated with talking to new children.   If you have a child that is really shy, help them to meet new friends by telling other children what your child’s name is and asking for theirs.  You can then introduce the two children and try to get your child to say hello. As your kids find new friends in their classroom, give them opportunities to play outside of school.  If possible, plan playdates for after school and take turns at each house.  Weekends might be a good time to have friends come and play.  Have a few activities available that they can do so they do not get bored. A new trend is to make business cards for your children with their name and phone number on them.  They can give them out to friends that they would like to play with.  This is really great for small children that might not know their phone number too.

School shopping.  The stores love this time of the year.  They load their shelves with products – full of color and covered in cute patterns and popular pictures.  They tease us with the newest and best products available, guaranteed to save us time and make things simpler.  My children run up and down the aisles in the school section, hoping I will buy them the decorator erasers.   I have a tote in my closet full of school supplies from last year that we didn’t need.  I seem to be collecting them.  We didn’t need them again next year, but rest assured – I will keep them yet another year.  We might want to use the forty red pens that I purchased two years ago. You can be more sensible when purchasing school supplies.  Go with what items you used last year.  Your daughter might want the big, shiny trapper keeper, but did she use one last year?  Did she find it easier to keep subjects in individual folders, or did she like a binder system with folders?  When purchasing supplies, also consider how much of the items will need to go back and forth from home and school.  When you add in books, do you or your children want to be carting around that much weight? Decorator pencils are very cute.  However, the average yellow pencils work just as well.  The same idea applies to other supplies.  Determine what items you need and use, and decide if you will allow a few of the cuter (and not necessary) items to slip into the cart as well.  Packing school supplies to take on the first day of school is part of the excitement.  And that striped eraser just might make someone smile wider.