This section contains useful information about general childcare issues and topics.
Your Child's First Day at School
The first day at school can be a very daunting experience for both you and your child.
Starting school is an important and exciting step for any child, even if they attended Nursery or a pre-school group.
The most important thing parents can do is be re-assuring and positive and talk to their child in advance so they realise this is a special and enjoyable time in their lives and there’s nothing to be scared of.
There are many things that parents can do to help prepare their child for that first day at school. We have devised a list to help guide parents through this time…
- Ensure you are listening when your child wants to talk about ‘big school’
- Take your child to visit the school before they start; attend open days and events and point it out when you walk / drive past it
- Talk about all their friends that will be there too
- Plan ahead – make sure you have purchased the lunchbox, gym bag, books etc… that you think your child may need. Buying new things and getting prepared will help build the excitement about starting school
- Establish sleep patterns – start a sensible sleep routine a couple of weeks before your child starts school and make sure you both get a good nights sleep before the big day
- Set your alarm half an hour before you usually do, this will prevent you from having to rush about and will allow you to spend some time with your child so you both feel relaxed on leaving the house
After the first day, parents may find that their child is tired and irritable and doesn’t want to talk about their first day – this is quite normal and doesn’t mean they’ve had a horrible day. As they get used to going to school and settle in to a routine, they’ll become much more talkative!
Is Your Child a Fussy Eater?
What do you do when your child becomes a fussy eater and food is definitely not on your child’s agenda? Most children will go through a stage where they either refuse to eat at all or become fussy eaters. Although this is quite common, it can be upsetting and worrying for parents when it happens. We have put together a few tips to help parents tackle their children’s fussy eating habits:
- Don’t force them to eat – this will only make them anxious at mealtimes
- Give a choice of foods each mealtime and let your child choose which one they would like, i.e. cornflakes or weetabix. If your child refuses to choose one, leave them along until they have made their mind up
- Introduce different foods – this will help them to know what they like and what they don’t and can encourage a healthy, balanced diet
- Children are more likely to try food if it looks attractive; arrange food so it looks like a face or something children will recognise
- Draw up a star chart. Give your child a star for each meal they have eaten; once they have reached four or five stars, let them choose a non-food reward
- Don’t give large portions – a full plate can be daunting for young children
- Limit mealtime to 30 minutes
- Give praise after each meal, even if they haven’t eaten everything. This will encourage them to make a big effort next time
- Make mealtimes fun – have picnics, meals out, invite friends round for dinner etc…
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