Parents: The Greatest Resource for a Child in a New School

 

Moving is an inevitable, yet often frightening, part of life for most families. Children can feel particularly helpless when facing the many uncertainties that come with a new life in an unfamiliar town or city. Beginning school is perhaps the most daunting aspect of a child?s transition, but parents should take solace knowing that there is much they can do to make their child?s transition into a long-term set of life skills. The tools which arise from moving and creating new friends and social networks are lifelong, and overcoming such change at a young age will prepare a child for life?s continual evolution.

 

There are several skills that parents may feel the need to impart on their children upon changing towns, cities, or even states. This is particularly true if kids are making the first real move of their lives, which will require them to utilize all the social and friend-making skills that are traits of the most popular children. Parents can enhance their children?s chances of social acceptance at their new Seattle-area school and neighborhood if they take the time to talk about and practice these skills before and during the transition to a new hometown. The following suggestions, courtesy of the experts at Quick Handle, can be a big help to parents and kids alike.

 

Social Skills for Every Newcomer

 

According to Parenting Science, there are several skills and traits linked to healthy sociability which parents can practice with their child to further develop. To promote prosocial traits, parents can take on several roles. The role of ?emotion coach? means that a parent should pick up on emotional distress, which is common in children who are moving or have moved, and discuss the causes for such feelings and how the child and parent can work together to help quell natural anxieties. This will help to ensure that negative emotions are not exhibited once the child is among same-age peers, where a poor first impression can be nearly impossible to overcome. Employ some strategies for moving with children and how to reduce the stress that comes with it, like exploring the area together and allowing kids to say goodbye to friends in their old school. 

 

Parents can also teach their child proper conversational etiquette that will increase their chances of being embraced by peers who are typically wary of ?the new kid?. Skills such as active listening and sharing appropriate personal stories can be honed with practice, making it a bit easier to foster a connection with other kids. These skills can be critical, particularly in children shy or reserved by nature, but a parent must also have realistic expectations (while doing all they can to help) when it comes to their child?s popularity.

 

Dr. Aaron Balick wrote a book that helps children to cope with upheaval. He suggests that parents teach their children positive visualization, reliance upon older siblings or other family members, and adequate consideration of relationships and memories left behind as tactics to prepare a child for life in a new town.

 

These tactics promote social competence that is critical for a child to seamlessly integrate into a new social environment, but there are also several school-related steps a parent can take to help their children quell the anxiety which comes with the first day on a new campus.

 

Helping Your Children Adjust to Their New School

 

Before the first bell of the new school year rings, there are many ways a child can prepare to take on the challenges of their new life. Parents should take the time to familiarize their kids with the local neighborhood, including the route of the bus or car ride which they will take regularly from home to school. This will create a subtle sense of ease with the new routine, making the first trip of the school year seem less unfamiliar and nerve-wracking.

 

If possible, touring the new school and familiarizing a student with its facilities and faculty through a ?trial run? will also reduce anxiety when it comes time to navigate the halls. Many schools offer mentorship programs that will introduce them to an older student who will show them the ropes. While your child may not require a mentor to thrive socially, it cannot hurt to ask if it would make him or her more comfortable, as there is social value in a friendly face.

 

For added motivation and support, particularly if your child plays basketball, consider signing them up for a Quick Handle program. They?ll have the opportunity to focus on their technique as well as build valuable mental toughness skills that will serve them throughout life.

 

Moving is universally difficult for both children and adults. This is especially true for children who are making the first move of their lives, and being accepted in their new social groups, both in and outside of school, is tied to their long-term happiness and health.

 

Fortunately, there is much that parents can do to ease their children?s burden, ranging from teaching socialization to facilitating familiarity in the new school environment. It may even help to create a private space for kids to study or just hang out, particularly if there is a lot of noise and distraction in the home. To ensure this space is an option, consider looking at larger apartments near Seattle to call home, since having space to spread out helps everybody in the family.

 

Talking about the child?s fears while taking the many steps to work through those fears is all a parent can do before letting the child take the reins. By steering their offspring toward positive friendships and fostering lifelong social skills throughout the transition process and into early adulthood, parents can rest assured that they have removed as much fear from the moving process as possible.