Image Credits: Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
I remember when J first started Primary 1. I was very proud to see him growing in independence. At the same time, I was anxious in helping him adjust to school, from performing the simplest task, like buying food in the canteen, to writing down important information in his student diary.
Eventually, with the help of some other mothers and teachers, I have managed to let my anxiety go. Along the way, I have used the tools below to help me make that transition.
Image Credits: ClassDojo.com and pg.moe.edu.sg
Class Dojo App: Most schools are using this app to allow parents and teachers to message each other privately. There is also a rating feature to give you an idea of how your children are doing in school. The score for each student is based on behavioural aspects such as attentiveness, timeliness, neatness and ability to answer questions correctly. However, do take into account your expectations on how your children should perform in class daily. I had to manage my own feelings when J did not do well on some days, reminding myself that there’d be days when he would be restless, tired or distracted.
Parents Gateway App: This app is developed by the Ministry of Education and Govtech. It is a portal for all your school’s important announcements, notifications and forms. The app is pretty useful for me to determine whether J is keeping up with what is relevant and important for him. As time passed, I’ve learnt to trust J as he was able to demonstrate his ability to manage things on his own.
Student Diary: This is definitely a tool that helped me guide J towards managing his responsibilities. I find it helpful to sit down with him every day to check if there is any homework or forms that require submission. The evenings together are also opportunities for him to learn how to prioritise his work.
Primary 1 is indeed an interesting time for both parents and children. It can be pretty emotional, stressful and intimidating experience for some of us. So, it is important to have the necessary tools to help us through.
Do you have other strategies to help you cope?
