Parenting Tips
By Myrna B. Shure, Ph.D
For the WHYY Children's Service

Moving to a New School

Is your child going to a new school this Fall? If your child was happy in his old school, this may not be easy. Everything changes. He'll miss his friends; he'll be in a new neighborhood, or city, and in a school that looks different - with new teachers. If he's making the transition to middle school or junior high - the schedule of his whole day will be new - all this with no old familiar strategies to fall back on.

Some children can adjust better than others. Here's how you can help:

• Visit the school ahead of time if possible.
• Buy something special for school.
• Walk your child to school or to the bus stop until he feels comfortable.
• As the one constant in your child's life right now, listen - really listen to his thoughts and feelings.
• Ask your child what he thinks he can do or say to make one new friend; he's much more likely to carry out his idea than one suggested to him.
• Ask him if he wants to write to, and occasionally call his best old friend.
• Ask him to think of one after-school activity that would interest him, and ask him to think about ways to get involved.
• Do fun things in the neighborhood.
• Tell your own stories about moving if that happened to you.

The good news. Most children will adjust quite quickly. Stay calm. Your children will stay calm too - and on to a great new life for all of you.