Moving to a new country with family is tough. There are so many uncertainties ahead especially when children are involved. Apart from trying to adapt to the new environment, there is the issue of attending a new school. The things that an adult can easily adjust to may be extremely distressing for children. Fortunately, if you move to Singapore, and enrol your child in the best international school Singapore, they can help your child settle in nicely. Singapore is an expat-dense country, so most of the international schools Singapore are well-versed in helping your child adapt to the new school.
However, you do not have to leave this entirely in the hands of the new school. You should also take some steps to help your child transition from the New Kid to the Cool Kid.
- Contact the school.
Contact the school to ask about the systems they have put in place for their new students. Can your child meet his or her classmates before school officially resumes? Is there a buddy system? The first thing that you have to encourage your child to do at their new school is to make a few friends in the school or even better, in their class. Having a friend reduces the pressure of being anxious as the odd one out. You can also contact other parents in the school to organise play-dates so your child can meet their children. This way, your child will have met a few familiar faces before school opens. The best international school Singapore makes these connections easy for parents of their new students.
- Take your child out to experience the beauty Singapore.
Singapore is a beautiful city with a lot of activities to do and a lot of family-oriented places to visit. There are numerous fun places you can visit with your friend such as the Gardens by the Bay, the Zoo, Universal Studios, etc. Therefore, if you give your child the chance to get exposed to the exciting and beautiful parts of Singapore, they will have a lot of things to say to their new classmates or have something to chip in during discussions about Singapore. This will also help you get your child excited about his or her new home.
The best international school Singapore provides fantastic transport services to take their students to and from their homes. This will enable your child to bond with other students. Assess this to see if it benefits your child in any way. If your child is not comfortable with this arrangement, do not force him or her. You only need to find other ways that they bond with new people in a new environment. If your child seems unable to settle after a few weeks even after the efforts by the best international school Singapore, you should seek for further help. Get in touch with the school, the teachers, and other parents.
On a final note, even though the people around that your child interacts with daily such as classmates, friends and teachers are vital to his or her settling in, none of them is as important as you are. Try to support them and acknowledge their worries. Help them through it and let them know that you are on their side. Show up at important school events and keep an open line of communication.