Starting School.

Starting school for the first time or beginning a new school is a big step in your child�s life and for your family. This checklist covers some of the important things to remember to help the first days run smoothly.

In your child�s school bag

• Sunhat and sunblock (or you can apply sunblock at home before they leave)   
  
• A sweatshirt in case it gets cold
  
• Lunch and a water bottle. Get your child to help you pack their lunchbox. Talk about what is for morning tea and what is for lunch
  
• Any pencils, exercise books etc. the school has asked your child to bring. Some schools provide a list before school starts, others don�t give it out until the first week
  
• A change of clothes.  This can be reassuring for a child starting school for the first time, in case of any toilet accidents
  
• A bus ticket or loaded fare card if your child is catching a bus 
  
• Their name on everything particularly hats, shoes and sweatshirts. Show your child where to look for their name on their clothes

In your bag

If you are enrolling your child at school for the first time it is useful to take:

• A copy of their birth certificate or passport as proof of age
  
• A copy of their immunisation certificate (in the back of your Well Child book or ask your family doctor for a copy)
  
• Medical information including your doctor�s contact details
  
• Any legal documents eg, custody or access agreements the school should know about
  
• Contact details � your family phone numbers and address and someone the school can call in an emergency if they can�t get hold of you

In the morning before you leave

• Choose clothes and shoes that are easy for your child to manage by themselves
  
• Breakfast! The human brain needs fuel to learn. Brainstorm with your child what they might like for breakfast - a cheese sandwich is just as healthy as toast and can be eaten on the run
  
• Try and allow plenty of time for getting to school. On the way chat about what they think their day will be like and what they want to do when they get home
  
• Don�t forget the camera!

When you get to school

• Say hello to the teacher with your child
  
• Does the teacher need to know about after school arrangements because you won't be the person picking your child up?
  
• Show or remind your child where the toilets are and any other place it is important to know about, such as where they will be collected at the end of the day
  
• It helps children to feel they belong if they know other children. Make a point of stopping to chat with children and parents you know as you arrive. If you are new to the area be brave and introduce yourself and your child to others who might be in the same class
  
• When the time comes, make goodbyes short. Teachers have a lot of practise helping children to settle in and managing an upset child 

After school

• If you pick up your child ask the teacher how their day went
  
• Expect your child to be very tired the first few weeks. Make time when you get home to just hang out. They might need to run around outside, or just collapse in front of the TV. They will probably be very hungry too
  
• Let them adjust to being at home before asking too much about their day. It is a lot easier to get children of any age to talk about school when they are doing something else with you � helping to make dinner, tidying up, or drying the dishes
  
• Have a space where school paper goes � newsletters, permission slips, parent help requests etc. The space should be close to a calendar so you can write in important dates
  
• Make a time to read together. Some schools will send home a reading book to share on the first day � others may not. But get in the habit of having some shared reading every day right from the start.