Summer holidays are a time when both kids and parents take a break from their busy schedules. The days are more relaxed and chilled. Everyone in the home is busy spending the hot day in their own way. While some families decide to stay back home and host a few family members, some take a vacation to their favourite places.
Irrespective of how the summer holidays are spent, every kid becomes emotional as soon as the conversation about the upcoming school year is brought up. While it is common for kids to get a little overwhelmed at the beginning of every Dubai international school year, that doesn’t mean you cannot help them overcome their back-to-school anxieties.
Below mentioned is a list of things you can do to make the transition to a new year of Indian high school in Dubai a little less jittery for your kid.
1- Never lose touch with your kid’s peers
Kids tend to forget many things during their summer break, especially their friendships. Many anxious kids find it hard to rekindle with friends after a huge gap.
The best way to ensure your kid doesn’t feel anxious speaking to a friend on the first day of Dubai international school after a summer break is by never losing touch with his/her friends at school.
You can arrange playdates or sleepovers to ensure your kid’s friendship with his/her friends remains strong even over the summer break.
2- Prepare him/her throughout the holidays
If you think your kid can perform well in the upcoming year with a little practice, then use the summer break for his/her benefit.
Well, we aren’t saying that you should make the summer break boring for your kid with unnecessary learning sessions, you can however try and hone his/her skills in a fun and engaging way.
First, review his/her previous year’s report card to determine the weaknesses and strengths. Based on that, decide whether or not your kid should join a summer class. And if yes, how many days a week should he/she visit the same?
Summer camps, on the other hand, are good for helping kids focus on crafts and sports and build other hobbies. Such camps can build social skills and self-assurance in kids studying at an Indian international school in Dubai.
3- Build confidence in your kid studying at Dubai international school
It is time you teach your kid to be confident and positive about what is about to come next. Whether it is making new friends, learning new subjects, or changing the schedule, it is important to convey your confidence in your kid’s capability to thrive and adapt to the new environment.
For instance, when it comes to making new friends, teach your kid how to initiate conversation. Perhaps role-play with him/her on such matters. If you think your kid might need extra help in class, teach him/her how to ask for help or guidance without being uncomfortable.
4- Speak to him/her about details
Almost every kid, irrespective of his/her age, is bound to feel inadequate. As a parent, you might want to ask your kid to master important tasks. For instance, does he/she know how to tie shoelaces? Does he/she know how to use different things in the backpack, etc.?
If your kid is a teen, you might want to ask whether or not he/she knows how to access the functions on a calculator or use the combination lock to secure the locker, and so on.
5- Make things familiar for your kid studying at the Indian high school in Dubai
If your kid is transferred to a new school or is going to become more independent than the previous year, you might want to make him/her familiar with the new changes. For instance, what route he/she should take and where he/she should stop for snacks or buy lunch. You can point out hazards along the route to make him/her aware.
If your kid is going to be using public transit, such as a bus, you might want to talk to him/her about the fare system. Also, help him/her understand the importance of timing the trip.
6- Set necessary expectations
The new year at the Indian high school in Dubai is nothing short of a new life stage for your kid. Since your kid has been home for over a month, he/she may assume that old rules may no longer apply.
So, make sure that you discuss the expectations, in terms of behavior or academic performance, well before the new term even begins.
You can add a few freedoms and responsibilities to the rules to make him/her a better person. For instance, can he/she take his mobile phone to the school or will he/she help with morning breakfast and so on.
Wrapping up
Even though the thought of re-joining schools at the end of the summer holiday invokes anxiety in kids, a well-spent first day at Dubai international school can offer tremendous relief.
Use the tips suggested above to help solve and tackle the problems your kid might be facing and make him/her ready to handle the first few bumpy weeks like a champ.
