Going into primary one is a huge milestone for both parents and their children. The idea of finding a good primary school is well alive, stressing parents. And while most children have attended preschools, primary schools mark their first true step to independence. It is here they will learn how to interact with different peer groups, deal with examinations and buy food. So what can you do to make this milestone process easier for you and your children? We learn more from two parents whose children started Primary 1 this year in January.

Ensure junior’s vaccination is up to date. In addition to the regular vaccination required by the National Childhood Immunisation Programme (NCIP), there are a number of new vaccines developed over the years to provide protection against more children’s diseases such as flu vaccines which protect against influenza.

ENROLLING YOUR CHILD INTO A GOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL
Like other parents, you desire to give the best to your children. When a milestone as big as settling your children into a good primary school comes in, it is no wonder you worry and go out of the way to ensure they enrol in a safe and comfortable environment.

Anthea Neo, a parent, shares how she and her husband seek out a good primary school. “My husband was a volunteer with the neighbourhood committee. Through his volunteer work, he had the chance to visit various schools in our area and interact with both the teachers and students. This way, he learnt about the school culture, how the kids are doing and together, we chose a school most suited for our children’s holistic development.”

The trick is to look beyond school brand, and define what constitutes a good primary school. This includes the culture and environment, how they match your children’s learning needs, and whether they can fulfill special requirements, if any.

On getting more information, Sri Julio Putri, whose son, Liam See, just started studying in Punggol View Primary School, says, “Childcare centres in my region provided me with a lot of information. I also researched online and spoke to friends in the neighbourhood to make an informed decision.”

HELPING YOUR CHILD OVERCOME SCHOOL ANXIETY
A new environment will stress a child, and starting primary one is no exception. Many pre-schools will have preparation programmes to help children transition better to primary schools, but as a parent, you can do more.

Ms Neo suggests speaking to your children to understand their fears. “Each child has different concerns that need to be individually dealt with. These include worrying about getting scolded by the teachers, being unable to understand the lessons, and getting teased by classmates. Talking to your children lets you know their concerns. Give them tips on how to manage them, and if need be, speak to the teachers about it. Never trivialise their concerns, no matter whow small it seems.”

Ms Putri thinks speaking to her son frequently about primary school has helped him become with the idea. “In fact, he started to look forward to it, being more excited than fearful.”

Amid these talks you can have with your children, consider discussing with them what to expect in school.

Attending the school orientation together is a good way to address your children’s concerns about the new environment on the spot. It gives you the opportunity on the spot. It gives you the opportunity on the spot. It gives you the opportunity to ensure they know where to find the canteen, drop-off points and how the classrooms look like. This, too, will help alleviate their fears. In addition to environment familiarity, help your child understand new expectations, like keeping quiet when the teacher is speaking and during silent reading sessions. And talk to your child about the change in routines such as not playing during lesson time; a significant change from attending K2 in a childcare environment.

These preparations paid off as Liam adjusted and was able to recognise the difference in his routine before and after entering Primary 1. “One major difference I hear from Liam is the larger community he has to interact with. There are many more students than before. The school compound is larger and there is more homework as well,” Ms Putri shared.

GIVING YOUR CHILD A FULFILLING PRIMARY SCHOOL LIFE
Popular terms like Dragon or Tiger Mums are used to describe mothers and to a lesser extent, fathers, who have sky-high expectations of their children. This often includes Asian stereotypes like demanding straight-A results and enrolling the children in different remedial and extracurricular lessons.

Understandably, parents want their children to have a head start in life and do well in their academic performance. But they should strike a balance between focusing on the children’s academic performance and letting them have fun – sound advice that rings truer than ever despite the increasingly competitive landscape. The truth is, learning should be a fun experience, and pushing them to hard will unncessarily stress them, become counterproductive – something Ms Neo wholly agrees.

REFERENCES
http://www.asiaone.com/singapore/let-kids-have-fun-pm-lee-tells-parents
http://www.todayonline.com/lifestyle/why-theres-no-other-option-be-dragon-mum
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/10-ways-to-ease-your-childs-preschool-seperation-anxiety-and-yours/?_r=0
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/heng-swee-keat-as-education-minister-a-study-in-bold-moves

This article is taken from our My Alvernia Magazine Issue #30. Click here to read the issue on our website or on Magzter.