Changes in children cause different reactions, such as fears, distrust or anxiety. Moving a child from school implies that he must adapt to new circumstances, for which he may not be prepared.
Starting a new school involves a complex process of adaptation in which the child must face his fear of the unknown. You will experience emotions of uncertainty or insecurity that can lead you to feel helpless in the face of the new reality. If you are planning to change your child's school, consider first how the change in school affects children .
Even so, changes can open the way to a new growth opportunity, in which everything depends on what attitude you assume. You can help them in this.
The role of parents in the face of change
Changes are a normal part of life, because they make us enter in connection with our fears, doubts and distrust. Children, because of their lack of experience, do not have the capacity to assess or calculate the situations they will experience.
For this reason, parents should support them and prepare them to face the transition with confidence, confidence and success .
However, you must understand that each child will have their own way of expressing the bewilderment caused by the new circumstance. For that reason, you have to be attentive to the signals that they manifest.
In addition, parents must be willing to help and serve as companions. Because they represent stability for their children, they are the ones who can soften the consequences of change.
How does the change of school affect children?
As a mother, you have experienced different types of changes throughout your life, for example, employment, friendships, residence, doctor. In this sense, you are aware that changes do affect and can make children suffer .
Changing school to children can cause insecurity and isolation.
Taking off everything that the child has represented stability is not easy. You can go through a range of feelings, such as nostalgia, anger, frustration, anxiety, fear, pessimism, sadness, grief, joy, overwhelm.
Among the changes he will face, are:
- Make new friendships and distance yourself a bit from the previous ones.
- Adapt to other teachers , and possibly new methods of study.
- Engage in unfamiliar surroundings or a new climate.
- Be the center of attention for being the new kid in your classroom or school.
- Use different means of transport and get used to different routes.
- Some children may be very resistant to change, while others may seem positive, flexible and very adaptable. The more drastic the change, the greater will be the obstinacy that the child could express.
Of course, the degree of impact that enrolling the child in a new school can not be accurately measured. The intensity of feelings will depend on what things the child should leave and what they will find.
Therefore, it is easy to conclude that if the child manages to make new friends in a short time, the change will be more bearable. You must bear in mind that it is even possible that it deteriorates academically and, therefore, diminishes its school performance .
"The changes can open the way to a new growth opportunity for the child; everything will depend on what attitude you assume "
How to reduce the effects of the change of school to children?
Following are some recommendations you can follow to help your child face this change:
Communication and sincerity
When you know that the decision to change your child"s school is irreversible, you must tell them as soon as possible . Talk to him openly and give him the opportunity to express his concerns and insecurities, Remember that he may be reticent and negative.
Do not lie to him by making him believe that you will protect him from the effects of the change. Well, sooner rather than later, he will realize that you will have to face them anyway.
Help him see the change differently, but positively
Starting a new school will give you the opportunity to start over, make new friends. Make him enjoy the change instead of suffering it.
Visit the school with him before attending
With this detail, he will not feel lost when he have to attend classes. Take a tour of the facilities of what will be his new school . If possible, know where his new classroom will be, the library, the dining room, the sports area.
Prepare for the first day of school
Prevention is your best option, The more you know and inform the child, the better it will be for both of you. Explain well what times of arrival and departure are, how useful school will be, who is their teachers, among other issues.
Joining school teams will help overcome the change of school to children.
Encourage him to join extracurricular activities
A quick way to integrate with your classmates outside of school hours is to participate in extracurricular activities . Invite him to sign up for a sports team of his liking such as football, basketball or volleyball, If he likes art, he can sign up for music, painting or theater classes.
Finally, you must have patience and give your child time to adapt to the change. This will make the child experience different things for himself and contribute to his maturity.
If you respect his space and give him confidence before the new circumstance, you will help him to reinforce his self-esteem and security. Thus, the change of school to children will be positive.