How to psychologically prepare your child for school?

We are not talking about the level of knowledge required for a future first-grader, but about how to prepare the child's psyche for a new stage in his life.

After all, as a parent, you are very concerned about such questions: Will it be easy for your child to get used to the new rhythm of life? How will his relationship with his teacher? And with classmates? Will the child cope with the new load on the thinking apparatus? Will not be frightened by the increased demands? Parents have a lot of questions of this kind. And, of course, along with learning to read and count, every parent wants to help their child adapt to the school day faster and easier.

First time in first grade

Going to first grade for the first time, a child should have several qualities that will help him or her adjust to the role of a schoolchild more quickly.

The first quality is. Determination and the ability to follow through to completion.

It is a real stumbling block when some assignment is difficult. And there will be a lot of such tasks at school. Purposefulness cannot be taught a year before school or at preparatory classes. This is a personality trait that must be nurtured from diapers. Encourage your child to finish all the things he or she has started, and praise him or her for every completed task.

The second necessary quality is. Ability and desire to learn, to learn new things.

Without it, a child will go to school for a variety of reasons: to socialize with peers, not to get a "D" for behavior, not to be scolded by parents... But he or she will not go to school to learn. Like purposefulness, the desire for knowledge can not be "pulled up" before the start of school classes. Therefore, joint activities of parents with the child and expanding his horizons are very important. Do not give up on them.

The third quality is. ability to analyze and compare.

Unlike the first two, this quality characterizes not so much personality and character as the level of intelligence. To develop these abilities in a child is not as difficult as it may seem. What to do for this? It is necessary to encourage the child to think about what he learns. For example, after reading a fairy tale, do not hurry to put the book on the shelf - first ask the child to briefly retell what he heard, answer the questions: which of the characters is good, who is bad? Why? What would the child do in the hero's place? What does this fairy tale teach? Such exercises not only develop analytical thinking, but also teach the child to express his thoughts coherently and enrich his vocabulary.

The next quality is. readiness to socialize with peers.

The issue of adaptation to the school community is especially acute in a family where the child was brought up at home. Children who went to kindergarten, in general, better adapt to the new collective. If you see that your child has problems in communicating with other children - immediately take control of the situation: encourage your child to communicate with peers, try not to patronize and do not interfere in their relationships unnecessarily, invite children to your home, go out together and organize games ... Opportunities are quite a lot, and it depends on you whether they will be used or not.

If a child is not ready for school?

If you see that some of the qualities needed in school, your child clearly lacks, if you realize that at school he will be difficult - do not hesitate, contact a psychologist! The specialist will help to identify the problems and find their solution.

So that school doesn't come as a shock to the child, he should be introduced to the institution before he goes to first grade..

Weekly classes organized in schools for future first-graders are very helpful in this regard. Unfortunately, many parents think that if their children have the basic level of knowledge necessary for the first grade, there is no need to take their child to such classes. In fact, such classes not only allow you to increase the level of knowledge, they also familiarize the child with what he will have to do every day. During these classes, the child will learn how to navigate the school building, get to know his or her first teacher, learn how the lesson is conducted, how to behave and how not to behave, and so on.

However, even if you have not taken your child to preparatory classes, try to introduce him or her to the school before September 1. Give him a tour of the school, introduce him to his future teacher. This seemingly small step actually makes a big difference.

So, preparing a child for school is not just (and not so much) about teaching them to count and read. It is about helping them with a new and important task that will become their first real, daily work.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

1. What qualities will help your child adapt to school more easily?
   Purposefulness, desire to learn, ability to analyze and readiness to communicate with peers contribute to successful adaptation to school life.
2. How to develop a child's sense of purpose?
   Encourage the completion of started tasks, praise for efforts and results, forming the habit of finishing what has been started.
3. How do you foster an interest in learning?
   Study together with your child, broaden his or her horizons, encourage curiosity and discuss new knowledge.
4. How to develop analytical thinking in a child?
   Discuss the tales and stories you read, ask questions about the characters' motivations, and encourage reflection and expression of their own thoughts.
5. How can I help my child socialize with peers?
   Organize cooperative play, encourage interaction with other children, invite friends home, and participate in social activities.