Well, the vacations are over and schools are re-opening. Holiday home work is being finished last moment and we, the parents, are fretting if there is something we are forgetting, if everything is correct, how the child will react to school after such a long break and all the usual thoughts that seem to preoccupy us during these final days of the vacations.
Most of the preparation has already been done. Here is a small but important check-list of all those things you might need for your little one as school re-opens:
1. get a pack of pencils, erasers and a couple of sharpeners for your child. These days, stationery is available in all popular cartoon character prints. Get the ones for your child that she/he likes. ex. Mickey-Minnie, Disney Princess, Hannah Montana and the likes. Pencil, eraser and sharpener are the basics, something that is used extensively every day, and if your child is still a toddler or just a little more than that, chances are,most of this will be either lost/misplaced quite soon.
2. Colours - crayons, sketch pens, water colours and paint brushes - whatever is required in class as per age. Try and get a few extra packs as kids usually end up losing them a lot.
3. a pack of handkerchiefs. This will always be needed as kids tend to stain/lose them all the time.
4. if you have a very young child, you would need a pack of child-safety-pin as well to pin up the handkerchiefs. Do remember to get one of those.
5. a roll of ribbon in the prescribed colour if you have a daughter
6. drawing books
7. a couple of pairs of extra school socks. Check in case the ones they already have are torn or have holes.
8. if it's the rainy season, make sure you have a raincoat for your child in perfect size - not too big, as it may cause them discomfort and make them trip and fall, nor too small, as it might be inadequate to cover the bag and all. The best way to check the size is to carry your child's school bag and make them wear it before they put on the raincoat and then see how well it covers the bag. The length should not be too much below the knees and the sleeves should not be too long either.
9. keep a pack of glucose or any other energy drink in the house for your little one to come back from a hard day and sip on. Get their favourite flavours to make them drink. Keep fresh fruits stocked up as well.
10.start building the school routine a few days, if possible a week or two ahead of when school re-opens. It is only natural that the routine that is set for school goes completely haywire in vacations. Depending on the school timings, start making them rise early and do all their bathroom tasks. Revise any poems and things that you know are a part of their curriculum - this too will prepare them for school and make them get back to a world other than toys and stories. Try and get them back to an afternoon nap routine and start making bed-time after dinner a little early.
For babies who are going to school for the first time, resuming school after a long vacation is usually a trying time, what with emotions running high on going away from mommy again and facing things and people on their own. Start talking about school and their friends and teachers and school activities so that your little one is prepared to get back to school. Show them their school bag and other school accessories to generate interest.
It is easier for a child to leave for school when they know that mommy, or a loved one (relative or even nanny) will be there waiting for them after school is over. If it is possible, be with your child to drop them in the school bus in the morning and kiss them a good day at school and tell them you (or whoever it will be) will be there in the afternoon to pick them up from the bus. Tell them to have fun at school and wave them off with a smile. Nothing reassures a child as much as knowing that they will come back home soon to where mommy and papa are.
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