New school year!

[clothmama]

How does everyone help their child to deal with the whole new teacher / new class members / friends etc that the new school year brings around. I was really surprised this morning at how nervous and scared Josh was of starting back at school and wondered if I should be doing something or have done something before the start of the school year to make it easier?

I always just re-assure ours that it won't be long before they are back home and that I am waiting and looking forward to them coming home. As for new friends and things, I told Kieran (he moved school in the middle of a term) that everyone was really excited about meeting him and that is is a lovely friendly boy and other kids will love being his friend. Anna still gets anxious about going to school and misses me terribly. once they are in school they quickly forget any worries they might have had and when they come home tonight they will have a load new friends.

Mine have always settled really easily into new schools, although up here in primary they only move class once because the classes are mixed, P1-P4 in one class room and P5-P7 in another and the school in so small that they all know and play together anyway. I think when they first started in P1 they had a buddy for the first few weeks which was someone from the bigger class who looked after them at play times.

However when they have had to move school we have just told them it is an exciting new adventure because they get make loads more friends and meet new people which they all love to do anyway

Henry has aspergers so change is a MAJOR problem. Fortuately he is in a small school with just 2 classes in but and the beginning of this term he got a new teacher which he hates- however to try to get him prepared for high school they are already making a plan (he is currently in p6) he will have several visits to the school, a buddy a special lunh time club so he has some where to go at lunch and initially will be based in the learning support area- he is also dyslexic. it is still going to be a nightmare