Starting school is a big change in any child’s life and in family’s life. It is widely known that family is the most important factor in the development of emotional and social competences of a child. A child who gets necessary attention and who feels accepted in the family will more easily adjust to new and unfamiliar situations and cope. It is important that the child is given an opportunity to learn from his/her own experience in order to achieve self-awareness and independence, which is important for good school achievement.
Reading and writing skills are not the most important ones, children generally acquire these very fast. It is more important to adjust, be disciplined and persistent, ready to cooperate and show respect for others.
Consequently, children whose parents show more trust in their abilities, provide support and encourage them, will profit. Children should be taught that every success requires certain effort. Children are naturally persistent and do not give up easily, regardless of mistrials.
At the age when they are ready for school, they become aware that a lack of some abilities is possible to compensate with effort and persistence. Accepting failures, the right to mistakes and patience are qualities which will help the child in fulfilling school tasks. A family which encourages the child to inquiry and exploration, acquiring new knowledge and overcoming obstacles, motivates the development of child’s work habits.
Still, it depends on the child and his/her interests what and how much s/he is going to learn because all children do not equally react to stimuli. They develop individually, with various developmental abilities. They can show certain abilities at different times.
The child who starts school should be encouraged to develop independence and responsibility in order to facilitate child’s fulfilling tasks and acquiring work habits. It is important to provide help in planning time for learning, other activities as well as sufficient rest. At first, if necessary, one should be with the child while s/he is doing homework, till s/he develops self-discipline. The child will more easily deal with tasks if instructed to independently perform tasks s/he is capable of, e.g. organise his/her working area, prepare his/her school bag on time and similar.
The child should not be scared with school and school obligations, but prepared for that reality.
