Help kids adjust to a new school

When Jan Todd, a teacher in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., moved her three kids out of Toronto several years ago, they complained about leaving their friends and city, and they didn't want to go to a new school.

Susan Vincent, a Toronto-based human resources consultant, tried to put a positive spin on moving her three children to a new school last year. Although they remained in the same city, the kids were still apprehensive about attending a new school. But Vincent focused on the positive aspects of getting a fresh start. "We presented it as an adventure," she says.

Certainly, parents can understand their children's concerns. Some schools can appear to have a great atmosphere, but the students may have been together since kindergarten. It could be difficult for "outsiders" to feel accepted in such a close-knit environment.

Give children a sense of control
To ease the transition, Brent MacLeod, principal of John Wanless Junior Public School in Toronto, suggests talking about how the child has handled change in the past. "Make him feel he has control of it [the new situation]," he says.

Get them accustomed to the new environment
Next, it's time to familiarize your child with the school. "I think it's a good idea if parents go around with the child and look at the outside of the school first," MacLeod says. Then look at the school at different times to get a better sense of what goes on throughout the day.

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