School can already be a daunting place where kids can sometimes struggle to make friends or fit in.
So if the time ever comes where your kid needs to change schools, it’s important that you take the time to understand how hard it’s going to be for them, the change of environment, making new friends and meeting new people is going to feel overwhelming. However, there are some simple steps you can take to make it easier for your kid to change school, let’s have a look at them below.
Conversation
First and foremost, you need to talk to your child. Ask them how they feel, ask them what they think and ask them if there’s anything you can do to help them. Just as important as talking is also listening, listen to their answers, take on board what they are telling you, and ensure that they know you are truly there for them during this time. Your child might need a lot of reassurance and there’s no harm in giving that to them.
Make a Choice Together
If possible, choose the new school together that way your child will feel like they have been part of the process, they will feel less stressed, and they will feel better knowing that they are going somewhere they genuinely want to go. If them choosing is an option, it’s always best to do it together, it will make a huge difference in how they feel.
Visit a new school
We all know the feeling of turning up at a new school and being greeted by enormous hallways, a thousand different doors, and a feeling of complete confusion as you don’t know where anything is or where you’re supposed to be going. So, to avoid this lost feeling for your child, take a visit to the new school before they start, this will give them a chance to learn the layout and get comfortable with the building.
Meet new teachers
Meeting the teachers will mean that your child will suffer far fewer awkward moments and introductions on their first day in front of the other kids. Meeting beforehand is better for both your child and the teachers, and come their first day, your child will feel much more confident walking into each classroom for the first time.
An online group for classmates
If the new school has an online classmates group then ask the principal or teacher if your child can be added. It’s much less nerve-racking meeting new people online than in person, so this is the perfect way for your child to be introduced to their new classmates and get used to them before interacting in person.
Meet new classmates
One of the hardest parts for your child with changing schools will be making new friends, this is always scary and everyone wants to make sure their kid has a good friendship group. The online tool Spokeo can help give your kid the best chance at making good friends.
Spokeo is a reverse phone lookup tool that can provide you with some really useful information about your child’s new classmates, such as their associated social media profiles, and from these profiles, you can get an idea of each classmates’ interests and personality. Just use the phone number search or email search on Spokeo to get some helpful information.
Treat your child
A new school should be celebrated with a few school treats! Buy your child a new bag, a new uniform, new schools, new stationery and so on. They will feel so happy with their new gifts that they will feel much more excited to start the new school! This is a small price to pay to make them feel better!
Changing schools can be a tough time for everyone involved, especially for your child. However, with the right steps such as meeting teachers beforehand, taking a look around the school, and using Spokeo to find out more about their new classmates, your child can go to their new school feeling extra confident, and you can as well!
This content is sponsored and written by Maguire Haigh is a marketing manager for Spokeo. He is interested in the latest technology trends, marketing strategies and business development. He also prefers traveling, exploring the world and meeting new people. Maguire has great experience in creating and editing articles on different topics.