School Adaptation Phase

The process of adaptation to school, which is defined as the child starts school, is an important step and a difficult process for the life of the parent and the child. The child leaves the family for the first time with pre-school education, starts to socialize as an individual and tries to adapt to an environment structured with rules. For the first time in life, a child who is a member of a crowded group with pre-school education may experience feeling of insecurity and inadequacy, and may be in an anxious mood with this feeling. This emotional state can last between 3 and 6 weeks in children, and it leaves its place to adaptation as they get used to school. The points that parents should pay attention to during the school adjustment process because of get through this process in a healthy way are as follows;

• The child should be enlightened by the parent before starting school.
• The parent should not exhibit an anxious mood during this process. Because the child may feel anxious and unpeaceful too with the anxiety of the parent. Instead of this, the parent should be relaxed and decisive.
• The child should not spend too much time in school in the first week of school and the parent must be stay on for a while. This time should be set in consultation with the teacher.
• When the child be dropped off at school, the parent must say goodbye and should not leave unaware.
• When talking to the child, instead of use sentences like “I will pick you up in the evening”, sentences such as “I will pick you up at the end of the day” should be used. Because the word “evening” can increase the child’s anxiety.
• After picking up the child from school, should not ask too many questions and should made allowance to explain what he or she has experienced during the day.
• During the first times of school, the child can be stubborn and anxious. In this process, parents should be patient and avoid critical manners.
• Some of the children do not have compliance problems in the first days of school. Such children would be curious and interested about school at first. After experiencing the sense of curiosity (1-2 weeks later), the process of adaptation to school can begin.
• Ensuring that children rest at home and have a delighted time after school affects this process positively. In addition to this, after school such questions should not be asked: “Do you like school? Did your teacher treat you well?”. Instead of these types of questions, “How did you feel today?” would be better to ask the question.

We should not forget that school has an important place in the lives of individuals. For this reason, it looms large importance that we, as parents, are ready for school as well as that the child, and that we have a determined and understanding attitude in this process.

 

Elif DEMİRER

Specialist Psychologist/Child-Adolescent Psychotherapist