Home is where the heart and heart is where your friends are. It is never easy to leave behind your loved ones, your friends, people who have been your constant support and just jump into a new world full of strangers. It sounds like one of the worst nightmares! But this is what children go through during the Transition Period when they shift schools. Many a times they are neither prepared to leave behind their old friends nor are they mentally ready to make new ones.

In today’s age, students not only experience physical and emotional challenges but also have to cater to constantly increasing social and academic demands. Switching schools is much harder than adults think it to be. A shift of school can affect the child’s mental and emotional state very deeply. Therefore both parents and teachers at the new school should help the students in a proper fashion. It is very important to be a little extra understanding and to closely observe the child’s behavior during this time. 

It is therefore extremely important that parents choose a new school wisely for their kids. If the child is old enough to give his/her opinion, then they should definitely be a part of the school selection process. This helps the child feel positive about the new school because her opinions and choices have been respected. It’s also a great idea to give the child a tour of the school beforehand so that they do not find the environment completely alien on the very first day. It’s even better if the child can strike friendship with someone in the school before the term starts.

All these efforts make the child feel protected instead of vulnerable and help in coping with the change around. Parents’ duties do not end by just getting their children admitted to the most reputed or the most expensive school in town. In fact that is just the beginning. The real job is making sure that their children go through this transition period with a smile on their faces!