Being the new kid in school can be scary and many kids simply aren’t sure how to handle it. As a parent, you may wish that you could tag along with them to make sure they make friends. Unfortunately, that’s not a realistic option – but it is realistic to following these three tips that can help you prepare your child for their first day as the new kid.

1. Encourage your child to be open to new ideas

At your child’s previous school, they likely got used to the way things worked. They may be resistant to doing things in a different way, and they may end up continuously telling their new teachers and classmates, “That’s now how we did it at my other school.” Explain to them that this can come across as though they’re being combative and encourage them to be open to doing things differently. When they’re the new kid, there’s nothing wrong with smiling, even if they don’t feel like it. In short, explain the advantages of acting better than they feel.

2. Teach them the one strategy that can help in almost any situation: Listening

If your child starts to become uncomfortable, tell them to concentrate on listening instead of trying to figure out what they’re supposed to say. The goal is for them to be interested, curious, and patient students. Learning to be a good listener can take some effort so be sure to teach them the basics of active listening.

3. Help them appreciate the adventure of starting a new school

The great thing about starting a new school is that it actually offers your child an opportunity to have an interesting and exciting adventure. Yes, they’ll miss their old friends and they’ll miss knowing where everything is and how it all works. They may feel lonely at first and they may feel less than confident about how to act. Make sure that they know this is normal but that they can use it to their advantage.

If your child is moving during the summer months, why not bring them into CodeREV Kids coding classes? They’ll get some practice talking to kids they don’t know and can start the school year already having some new friends. And of course, they’ll get some great skills by learning to code, how to use Minecraft, and much more. Reach out to us today to learn more!