As your little one reaches the last day of primary school, they may be feeling anxious about what is in store for them and feeling a little bit upset about leaving their friends.
Here are five things to help the last day of primary school go a little bit smoother for your child:
Prepare for the tears
Your little one is bound to experience a few tears on their last day of school. Moving schools can be a huge ordeal and they are also going to miss their friends. While they will no doubt see them over the summer, the last day of school is particularly poignant.
Talk to them
Ensure that what they are feeling is not silly. Encourage them to cry if they feel the need or to be happy if they are excited. Tell them you are looking forward to the new changes. Nowadays, most tweens have their own phone so keeping in touch is easy enough so make sure you reiterate it.
Listen to them
Listen to your child’s fears. Make sure they know that they can come to you with any problems and that their concerns are not brushed aside with a ‘sure, you’ll be fine’. Acknowledge what they are feeling – it’s times like these when they need you the most.
Let them celebrate
Finishing primary school is a pretty big deal so let your child celebrate how well they have done over the past few years. If possible, invite school friends over for a party or head out for a celebratory family dinner. Whatever you do, involve your child in your decision - remember they might have other plans to go out with just their friends.
Take pictures
Take plenty of pictures of your child and their friends leaving the school. Encourage them to take snaps of their classroom and of the playground. It’s these places that will hold fond memories for them when they move on to bigger things.
