6 Tips to Help Parents Before the New School Year Starts

The Ministry of Community Development has identified six guidelines to help parents welcome the new school year, which include getting to know their children’s school closely, reviewing and preparing for the new educational curricula, purchasing school supplies well in advance of the school year, reminding the child to respect the teacher and his/her instructions, implementing a suitable sleeping system for children, and preparing the child morally and physically to start the new school year.

In turn, Sheikha Al Tunaiji, a member of the Emirates Society for Child Protection, said that preparing families for the start of the new school year is of utmost importance to ensure a smooth transition and reduce anxiety among children, explaining that there are several aspects that families must take into account in this regard; the first of which is the financial and organizational aspect. Families must ensure that all necessary school tools and supplies are provided for each child, including bags, pens, notebooks, etc., as well as arranging a daily schedule for children that specifies sleep and wake-up times, meals, and home activities, which helps with regularity and focus during the school day.

She added to “Emarat Al Youm” that the second aspect is the psychological and social aspect, as it is important to involve children in preparing for the new school year, and to listen to their fears and concerns and discuss them with them tenderly. Children must also be prepared psychologically by visiting the school, introducing them to the new environment, and forming new relationships, in addition to enhancing their self-confidence and helping them to be flexible and adaptable, noting that the third aspect is the “educational” aspect, as families review the curriculum, the requirements of each grade, and identify the children’s weaknesses to provide the necessary support, and they also work to develop independent learning and self-organization skills in children.

She stressed the need to pay great attention to students’ journeys to and from school, to ensure that they arrive safely to school. There are means that families can rely on in this regard, such as public school transportation, which provides reliable school buses equipped with the necessary safety measures. However, if public school transportation is not available, families can rely on private means of transportation, such as cars, and transportation to and from school is carried out by parents, which is the most preferred option by many parents. It is important that the person responsible for transportation is someone known to the student, and not a stranger who is not licensed by the relevant authorities.

She pointed out the importance of the family’s continuous follow-up of their children, and not being distracted from them, to ensure the success of their educational journey and their personal and social development. The most important aspects of this follow-up can be highlighted as follows: the academic aspect, through regular follow-up of homework and the level of academic achievement, and follow-up of the behavioral and social aspects, so that the family can monitor any changes in the children’s behavior or their relationships with others, as well as follow-up of the psychological and emotional aspect, and enhancing motivation and independence.

For her part, Suad Ali Al Harthi, a member of the Educational and Mental Health Committee at the Emirates Society for Child Protection, explained that the school is the second home for our children, and therefore the most important question remains: Who is responsible for protecting this child in this place? The answer is certainly a strong partnership between the school and the family. She said that parents are the first and last fortress for their children, and they must cooperate with the school to provide a safe and stimulating environment for the child’s growth. Building mutual trust between parents and the school is the first building block in this structure, as they exchange information about the child’s performance and behavior, and cooperate to solve any problem that may face him.

She added that continuous monitoring of the child’s performance at school is a duty of parents. Through regular communication with teachers, they can detect any changes in the child’s behavior or academic performance, and work to address them in the bud. Also, educating children about the importance of respecting others, their rights and duties, and providing them with the necessary skills to solve problems, contributes greatly to protecting them from any dangers they may face.