There is so much to say about starting school for the very first time. Where to begin?

The earliest experiences are crucial for a positive start. Think about your own images of starting school and I am certain that how people operated around you was an important factor in feeling good about yourself. Children will look for reinforcement from parents that school is a good place to be. Talk to your child about your own experiences. Tell them how proud they make you, now that they are going to school. Ensure that the early transition experiences are happy occasions.

Celebrate as a family when they come home from school and listen well to what they tell you about their day. Put their art work etc. boldly displayed around the house and make certain that they see you in a happy and relaxed relationship with your teacher. This reassures them that school is a good extension of home and a happy place in which mum is feeling satisfied.

This is all about building early trust between home and school.

Try not to talk about the long haul of school life. Young children are only concerned about the present. I always remember a little prep boy appeared at my office in early March, school bag on his back, crying quietly and saying to me, "thank you Mrs Smith I can go home now cause I can read”.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that this was the beginning of a long journey at school over many years! I am pleased to report that this young man is a qualified engineer now and we worked through the problem.