THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 Beat the G back to school blues · THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 ... Dr Samra...
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THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 As the start of school gets nearer, try to get your child used to getting up, going to sleep, and having meals and snacks at the same times they will on school days A calming bathtime and shared reading instead of TV and tablet screens will help to wind down before bedtime Making time in the evening to chat about your day can be a lovely routine for sharing fun times together Nutritious meals and plenty of sleep will help them to concentrate, learn and enjoy school. If your child has naps during the day, it would be helpful to gradually reduce these There are many opportunities to make new friends, which really helps children when they see a familiar face on their first day so arrange play dates if possible and get involved in school life Prepare them with school and study material that they can look forward to once schools reopen G oing back to school can be an exciting but nerve-wracking experience for students. Some might be thrilled to see schoolmates, while others might be anxious over another school term. Dr Samra Tahir, clinical psychologist at the American Centre of Psychiatry and Neurology in Abu Dhabi, says there are different reasons for back-to-school anxiety: “A new environment, a new teacher and greater learning expectations. “Some of their friends may have left, while the arrival of new students could be intimidating. Moreover, the stress of shifting from holiday mode back into the school routine, which consists of exams, regular evaluations or bullying, if there is history, will also lead to stress for a student,” explains Dr Tahir. Benjamin Atkins, deputy head of secondary at Sunmarke School in Dubai, says that in the expat-populated UAE, where students come and go, the first day at school can be a lonely time: “Each year there are many new faces in the class and one of the big worries is ‘will I make friends?’ This is echoed by returning students who often see friends relocate back to their home country over the summer.” THINK POSITIVE During this transition time, strong parental support and a push in the right direction are needed. Atkins advises parents to create a positive mental attitude for kids. He says: “Talk about the new friends they will make and new teachers they will have. Remind them of their old friends and try to arrange times in the weeks before school when they can re-connect.” A pep talk can help too: “Tell them funny stories and anecdotes of the good times you had in school. Reassure them you are there to support them and there will be many teachers and peers they can turn to if they have a problem. At the end of the day, they’re not the only ones going back to school and everyone is there to help. If in doubt: ask.” STICK TO YOUR ROUTINE Dr Tahir says establishing a routine from the start can get the family organised: “If a family is well into a routine, it’s not a big hassle for the parents to follow a regimen. Children thrive on routines and appreciate it with more respect.” The same goes for little ones who are attending school for the first time. Graham Beale, principal of The Arcadia Preparatory School in Dubai, explains children face “separation anxiety and the fear of the unknown, as they have to spend time in a new environment with strangers”. Beale says kids need to feel settled and safe at school. Chatting about their expectations and what they look forward to will help. Atkins adds some ways to get children ready: “Consistent bed times, meal times and study times. Your children will be more relaxed in knowing what will happen when. It also helps to set boundaries and rules, especially for older stu- dents who may have important exams they need to study for. You also need to remember that the school days are long in Dubai and even longer for students who use buses. Make sure you give your children the time they need to relax, play and let off steam when they’re at home.” PLAN AHEAD The weeks leading up to the big day should be about planning and preparation. Dr Tahir says parents need to keep their children busy with a mix of physical and academic stimulation activities before the new academic year. For first-timers, familiarisation with the new environment and schedule is key. Beale says: “Attend parent information evenings the school may run or other events to become familiar with the school environ- ment and staff. Schools are generally happy to show new children and parents around school and introduce them to key people such as the nurse, school counsellor and the principal. Where pos- sible, visit the school with your child before they start and find out where key areas are such as the canteen, sports hall and bath- rooms.” For Atkins, an important thing to remember is not leaving anything to the last minute whether it’s buying uniforms, station- ary, starting routines or even talking about school and getting them excited.” [email protected] A smarter start to the new term TIPS FROM ARCADIA PRINCIPAL BEALE SLEEP FOR SCHOOL KIDS As the new school year approaches, The London Sleep Centre Dubai advises parents to get children back into sound sleep schedule: Talk to kids about the importance of sleep. From a young age they should understand physical growth occurs when we sleep. Ease children into a good night’s sleep with relaxing environments that are cool, quiet, comfortable and free of electronic devices. A ‘wind-down’ routine one hour before bed works wonders and can consist of anything from a bedtime story, or relaxing bath to gulping a glass of warm milk. Beat the back to school blues
Transcript of THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 Beat the G back to school blues · THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 ... Dr Samra...
THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016
As the start of school gets nearer, try to get yourchild used to getting up, going to sleep, andhaving meals and snacks at the same timesthey will on school days
A calming bathtime and shared readinginstead of TV and tablet screens will help towind down before bedtime
Making time in the evening to chat aboutyour day can be a lovely routine for sharingfun times together
Nutritious meals and plenty of sleep will helpthem to concentrate, learn and enjoy school.
If your child has naps during the day, itwould be helpful to gradually reduce
theseThere are many opportunities to
make new friends, which really helpschildren when they see a familiar faceon their first day so arrange playdates if possible and get involved in school life Prepare them with school and study
material that they can look forward toonce schools reopen
Going back to school can be an exciting but nerve-wrackingexperience for students. Some might be thrilled to seeschoolmates, while others might be anxious over anotherschool term. Dr Samra Tahir, clinical psychologist at the
American Centre of Psychiatry and Neurology in Abu Dhabi, saysthere are different reasons for back-to-school anxiety: “A newenvironment, a new teacher and greater learning expectations.
“Some of their friends may have left, while the arrival of newstudents could be intimidating. Moreover, the stress of shiftingfrom holiday mode back into the school routine, which consists ofexams, regular evaluations or bullying, if there is history, will alsolead to stress for a student,” explains Dr Tahir.
Benjamin Atkins, deputy head of secondary at Sunmarke Schoolin Dubai, says that in the expat-populated UAE, where studentscome and go, the first day at school can be a lonely time: “Eachyear there are many new faces in the class and one of the bigworries is ‘will I make friends?’ This is echoed by returning students who often see friends relocate back to their home country over the summer.”
THINK POSITIVEDuring this transition time, strong parental support and a push
in the right direction are needed. Atkins advises parents to createa positive mental attitude for kids. He says: “Talk about the newfriends they will make and new teachers they will have. Remindthem of their old friends and try to arrange times in the weeksbefore school when they can re-connect.” A pep talk can helptoo: “Tell them funny stories and anecdotes of the good timesyou had in school. Reassure them you are there to support themand there will be many teachers and peers they can turn to if theyhave a problem. At the end of the day, they’re not the only ones
going back to school and everyone is there tohelp. If in doubt: ask.”
STICK TO YOUR ROUTINEDr Tahir says establishing a routine from the
start can get the family organised: “If a familyis well into a routine, it’s not a big hassle forthe parents to follow a regimen. Childrenthrive on routines and appreciate it with more respect.”
The same goes for little ones who areattending school for the first time. Graham Beale, principal of The ArcadiaPreparatory School in Dubai, explains children face “separation anxiety and the fearof the unknown, as they have to spend timein a new environment with strangers”.
Beale says kids need to feel settled and safeat school. Chatting about their expectationsand what they look forward to will help.
Atkins adds some ways to get childrenready: “Consistent bed times, meal times andstudy times. Your children will be morerelaxed in knowing what will happen when. It
also helps to set boundaries and rules, especially for older stu-dents who may have important exams they need to study for. Youalso need to remember that the school days are long in Dubaiand even longer for students who use buses. Make sure you giveyour children the time they need to relax, play and let off steamwhen they’re at home.”
PLAN AHEADThe weeks leading up to the big day should be about planning
and preparation. Dr Tahir says parents need to keep their childrenbusy with a mix of physical and academic stimulation activitiesbefore the new academic year. For first-timers, familiarisationwith the new environment and schedule is key.
Beale says: “Attend parent information evenings the school mayrun or other events to become familiar with the school environ-ment and staff. Schools are generally happy to show new childrenand parents around school and introduce them to key peoplesuch as the nurse, school counsellor and the principal. Where pos-sible, visit the school with your child before they start and findout where key areas are such as the canteen, sports hall and bath-rooms.” For Atkins, an important thing to remember is not leavinganything to the last minute whether it’s buying uniforms, station-ary, starting routines or even talking about school and gettingthem excited.” [email protected]
A smarter start to the new term
TIPS FROM ARCADIA PRINCIPAL BEALE
SLEEP FOR SCHOOL KIDS
As the new school year approaches,The London Sleep Centre Dubaiadvises parents to get children backinto sound sleep schedule:
Talk to kids about the importanceof sleep. From a young age theyshould understand physical growthoccurs when we sleep.
Ease children into a good night’ssleep with relaxing environmentsthat are cool, quiet, comfortableand free of electronic devices.
A ‘wind-down’ routine one hourbefore bed works wonders and canconsist of anything from a bedtimestory, or relaxing bath to gulping aglass of warm milk.
Beat theback toschoolblues
