Whether it is your child’s first time or they are returning for another year, going to school can be an anxious time for both the child and their parents. The first weeks can set the stage for the rest of the child’s academic experience. As a parent we can do a lot to ensure this experience is an enjoyable one for all.  

Being prepared for the day is an important first step to supporting your child to enjoy school. Setting out their uniform and shoes and packing the lunchbox the night before, can reduce everyone’s stress in the morning. If possible, leave time to sit and chat about the day ahead. This gives your child an understanding of what to expect and helps to reduce their concerns. Focus on the parts of the school day you know they are likely to enjoy – playing with friends, sport, art etc.  

Initially, it is best to take the lead in the preparation process. Once your child becomes accustomed to the school routine, you can start to give your child more autonomy over getting ready. One way we can do this is using the Triple P parenting strategy ASK, SAY, DO. This is a process in which you support your child to complete tasks by breaking them down into manageable steps. For example, to get dressed we ASK – “what do we do first to get ready” and give our child the opportunity to tell you what they need to do; next we would SAY – “first we put on our uniform, show me how you do that”; DO – we observe them completing the task, providing support only if necessary and LOTS of positive reinforcement. We then follow the process for each step needed to complete the full task.  

For more strategies, Queensland parents can access the online Triple P program for free at Happier, healthier, less stressed kids & families | Triple P | Triple P (triplep-parenting.net.au) 

When you pick up your child, take some time to catch up on their day. Questions can help a child to redirect their thinking to the parts of their day they enjoyed. Talking about school daily is a great opportunity for your child to know that you care about them. It also gives you important insights into how they are adjusting to school – if they answer easily, they are most likely doing well. If they struggle to answer, it may indicate some adjustment issues and warrant a conversation with their teacher to rule out any problems like bullying, school anxiety, friendship challenges and more. Use open questions which require more than a yes/no response. 

Some examples of positive questions are:  

1. What was your favourite part about school today? 
2. What activity did you like the most today? And the least? 
3. What was the funniest thing that happened in class today? 
4. What’s the most interesting thing you heard at school today?
5. What made you laugh/smile today? 
6. What 2 words best describes your friend? 
7. What is your favourite thing about your teacher?
8. If you had a magic wand, what would you learn about tomorrow? 
9. What went to fast at school? What took too long? 
10. What are you most looking forward to tomorrow?
11.  If you had $1,000 to buy something for your school, what would you buy and where would you put it? 

Remember, this is a conversation not and interrogation. Pick one or two questions and build the conversation from there. You might even ask your child if there is anything they would like to ask you about your day! 

Once our children are off to school, now it’s our turn. Take some time to self-care, catch up with friends, read a book, turn up the music and just breath! You deserve to take a little time out for yourself! Relax and enjoy this new chapter in your child’s development! 

Sometimes it just takes a little bit of prompting and creating a relaxed and welcoming environment to get the conversation going. 

If your child continues to struggle after a few weeks at school or you are concerned that there may be more impacting your child, follow up with their teacher, speak to your GP or you can access parenting support here at CQ Psych Services with one of our friendly clinicians.  

At CQ Psych Services, we have several psychologists and provisional psychologists on site who can provide parenting support and assessment. Call our friendly admin team for more information.  

How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:

• Contact us directly by calling 07 4972 6929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
• Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
• Come in and see our friendly staff at Shop 1 & 2, 13 Tank Street, Gladstone QLD 4680.
• Visit our website and complete a ‘Request an Appointment’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/

Author: Tina Bunge

Psychologist