Preparing your child for the transition to secondary school - Parenting Limerick

IF your child is in sixth class, they are coming up on their final weeks of primary school. Although they are not starting secondary school until the end of the summer, it is important to start thinking about and speaking with your child about this change.

Transitioning from primary school to secondary school is a process bound to result in some apprehension. This transition brings many changes for which your child has to prepare for, such as a different and perhaps larger environment with more people, new subjects, multiple teachers for different subjects, new classmates and a different lunchtime experience.

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Although this transition can be a time of excitement for your child as they are growing up and moving onto the next chapter in their lives, it can also be a time of uncertainty and even anxiety for some.

So how do these differences and this transition impact on your child? Your child is going to be making big adjustments navigating socially and emotionally through this transition. Secondary school is a vast social setting for young people to navigate. This brings great opportunities for your child to develop and grow socially. It may, however, also be that it takes your child longer to feel comfortable enough in this bigger school environment to socialise. They may be uncertain at first about where they fit in this new larger class with varying personalities. It may also take them time to navigate new and less personal student-teacher relationships. Remember socially this is quite demanding on your child.

Emotionally, your child is also adjusting. These adjustments can include separating from old friends who may be going to a different school, experiencing dual emotions both worry and excitement or being introduced to new technologies like mobile phones and social media. Mobile phones provide your child with a sense of independence and can provide parents with security in terms of more communication access when away from you. However, boundaries around phone usage are very necessary at this age. Most schools will have a mobile phone policy and rules in this regard too. Additionally, appropriate safety features in terms of social media and internet use are also recommended. It’s important to be vigilant to the demands of social media, encouraging discussions with your child around healthy social media usage and awareness of how misleading social media, images and influencers can be.

Transitioning to secondary school promotes more independence in your child and achieving new tasks improves their sense of mastery and confidence. However, new pressures are also present including an increase in homework quantity and difficulty, exams to prepare for, and increased organisational demands with timetables, lockers, and constant changes in classrooms. This pressure can be overwhelming for young people at times and they may need support to deal with these demands.

So what can help your child with this transition period? Remind them that change can also be exciting and encourage them to think about all the positive things they will get to experience, such as new friends, new extracurricular activities, new subjects to explore, and more independence moving between classes and during lunch. Acknowledge the end of primary school and celebrate this achievement. As well as acknowledging the positives it is important to allow your child to express any feelings of anxiety, worry, fear or sadness that they may be experiencing. Most importantly, continue to support your child and their emotions, and promote open and frequent communication with them throughout this transition period.

This article was contributed by HSE Primary Care Child and Family Psychology Service. The psychology service is a member of Parenting Limerick, a network of parenting and family support organisations. For more information on this and other topics go to www.loveparenting.ie.