Its almost time for the children to go back to school with the long holidays over and I have to admit it makes me a little sad. I am one of those parents who really enjoys the school holidays, the change of routine, in fact having no routine at all is great for a while.

For those children who are starting school for the very first time it can bring about big changes for the whole family. Whether you're excited, nervous or a bit of both here are some handy hints, tip and ideas to help with those first days.

Emotional preparation for your child

Talk to them about their new school and familiarise them with the location not in a big fuss sort of way but more in a matter of fact way and at a time when you and your child are sharing a close time

Practise helpful skills

Your child will find it so much easier if he/she is able to carry out some basic skills by themselves with confidence when at school. Encourage them to use the toilet and make sure they know what they can go to the toilet whenever they like.

Practise with your child putting shoes on and off and the same with clothing and make sure all their clothing is labelled to make your childs and the teachers life much easier

Helping kids settle into school

Get a good routine going and encourage plenty of rest. A good bedtime routine is essential as tired and grumpy children are so much harder to manage. Remember a child of around 4-5 needs at least 11 hours sleep each night.

Get organised and work with your child so they get organised too. Don’t be on the last minute as this can cause feelings of stress for both of you and create an unhappy situation.

A new chapter for mums

This is a big change for you too so make sure you have plenty to fill your time and try to embrace the change in a positive way.

Try to make friends and mix with the other school mums by chatting at the school gate. It’s a great opportunity for you to chat with someone who is going through exactly the same situation as you.

Then just when you have all this in hand, time flies and your ‘little baby’ will be starting secondary school which brings with it its own set of changes and anxieties.

Remember starting high school can be a really daunting process for a young person and you can take a few steps to help prepae them for the change.

Building their confidence is a great way to start As your child prepares to enter a new, unknown world of secondary education there's perhaps never a more important time to nurture their confidence and self-esteem.

Recognise the signs of bullying Sometimes it feels that aggressive banter, name calling and teasing has always been a part of playground culture. But there is a big difference between brief school yard disputes that are soon forgotten about and proper bullying

If you would like more information visit http://www.netmums.com/olderchild/Starting_school.351/ 

Most of all whatever the age, we want our young people to have a happy and enjoyable time in education.