Tips for starting school from the HSE’s mychild.ie

With summer drawing to a close, lots of children and parents are getting ready for junior infants.

The team behind the HSE’s mychild.ie has put together some tips for those getting ready for junior infants, including a new ‘back to school’ episode from the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing podcast.

Dr Abigail Collins, HSE National Clinical Lead, Child Health Public Health, said: “Starting school is a milestone moment for young children and parents alike, and it can feel overwhelming at times. There are some things you can do to help get ready. Children often feel more at ease when they know what’s coming. Take some time to chat about how they'll get to school, who will collect them and what they’ll be doing afterwards, so there are no unexpected surprises.

“You can help your child feel confident by practising putting on their uniform and packing their bag a few days before returning. Turn prep into play by “playing school” with their favourite toys, reading stories, or colouring together. Let them get things ready like pencil cases and labelling uniforms so they feel excited and in control.

“The transition to ‘big school’ after the summer can be challenging for everyone, not just children. From organising schoolbags to helping little ones adapt to new routines and new people, there’s a lot for parents to manage. Try to be kind to yourself – it’s a significant change for the whole family. It’s a busy and emotional time, and it’s okay if it takes a while for everyone to settle in.”

Some tips that may help parents preparing children for junior infants:

Before the big day

• Move bedtimes and morning routines in advance to match. It will take some time to get used to after the summer months.
• Check in with your child about how they are feeling. They may have had to field questions all summer asking if they are “excited for big school”. Some will be counting down the days, some won’t think much about it, and others may feel nervous or apprehensive. Whatever their reaction, it’s important to remember that it’s normal.
• Parents can feel emotional about the transition to school too, so try to be aware of your own feelings and avoid passing any worries on to your child.
• Letting your child know what to expect can help ease their worries. Talk through the practical things like how they will get to school, who will pick them up, and what happens after school, so there are no surprises.
• Children often feel more confident when they know what to expect. Spending a few days before school starts practising routines and getting organised together can help ease any nerves. Activities such as role-playing, storytelling and helping to prepare school supplies can make the experience feel positive, while also giving children a sense of ownership over the transition.
• Help them to maintain or reconnect friendships before they return. Consider if you can connect your child with others starting in the same school.
• Get books from the library to read about starting school. All children starting school are entitled to a ‘My Little Library’ bag of books to keep from their local library.

Getting ready for school

• Get back to school items sorted as early as possible so you avoid last-minute stress on yourself too.
• Choose a backpack-style school bag for your child with two wide, padded, adjustable straps, tight enough to hold the bag close to the body.
• When choosing school shoes, check that they are comfortable and support your child’s feet, the shoe is not slipping up and down at the heel and their foot is not being pushed out of the shoe at the back. Your child should be able to wiggle their toes. There should be about 1cm of space between the toes and the tip of the shoe.
• Try to choose clothing that is easy for your child to put on, such as shoes with Velcro fastenings. Practice putting on and off uniform pieces.
• Label the inside of your child’s coat, clothes, bag and pencil case with their name. Show your child where they are so they can look for them. 

After the big day

• Anticipate that children may be tired and out of sorts for the first weeks as they adjust. Your child may respond differently to starting school than older siblings did.
• Make sure you have healthy snacks and a drink ready for your child after school.
• Don’t forget to look after yourself during this busy period. Between organising uniforms, supplies and new routines, there’s a lot to think about, and it’s perfectly normal to feel emotional as your child reaches this milestone.

School health programme for junior infants

• Look out for information in the schoolbag or school app about the school health programme. Junior infants will be offered eyesight and hearing screening as well as vaccines. 
• It will be flu season soon and children are twice as likely as adults to catch the flu. This is why all children aged 2 to 17 years can get a free nasal flu vaccine this autumn. It’s a safe and effective way to protect them and the rest of your family too.

Preventing the spread of bugs in the classroom

• You can spread infections to others before you seem unwell yourself, which is why hand hygiene is so important. Teach your child how to wash their hands well and to cover coughs and sneezes. Have a packet of tissues in their school bag and make sure they know to throw used ones in the bin.
• Head lice is very common in young children and cannot be prevented, but tie back long hair to help reduce the risk.
• It can be difficult to know when you need to keep your child off school if they’re unwell. Check the guidance on mychild.ie page ‘Knowing when your child is well enough to go to school or childcare’.