As parents, it is important to manage our expectations, says Desiree\u201d Allow your child to make mistakes and learn from them, rather than pushing for achievement and perfect outcomes at all costs. Help your child develop independence and confidence by taking small steps towards self-care, such as dressing themselves and organising their belongings. Celebrating efforts, even when they fall short of perfection, fosters resilience \u2013 both at home and at school.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young children may feel frustrated when they struggle with tasks. It\u2019s essential to teach them the value of persistence and the importance of continuing to try despite difficulties.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of immediately stepping in to resolve issues, parents should offer guidance and encouragement, to help their child build confidence in their own abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Promote positive play<\/strong><\/p>\n Starting Junior school marks a crucial social development phase where children learn to engage meaningfully with peers. Parents should encourage kindness and inclusivity among their children, which are vital for emotional growth and confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can be tough out there for children as they start encountering challenging situations and peers. These early years start marking the time where parents can\u2019t just always step in and remedy the situation, and where children need to start understanding how to navigate challenges themselves. To build conflict-resolution muscles, roleplaying various scenarios with toys or games that involve taking turns and dealing with frustrations can help children practise social skills necessary for making friends and resolving conflicts.\u201d Desiree says.<\/p>\n Encourage curiosity<\/strong><\/p>\n A natural curiosity about the world is fundamental for learning.<\/p>\n \u201cParents should nurture this by engaging in conversations about their surroundings during outings, ask questions of your child, do not just supply answers. Research indicates that children benefit significantly from interactive discussions where both parties question, listen and respond thoughtfully.<\/p>\n \u201cEncouraging reading and exploring topics together can further enhance this curiosity.\u201d<\/p>\n While there is little to no homework in the early years, parents should put aside some time every day to focus on the day\u2019s activities, by talking over what was done in school during the day and reading together.<\/p>\n \u201cYoung children will start getting into a natural routine of building upon what they\u2019ve learned. By making this a fun and enjoyable experience, and a positive family interaction, they will start to associate learning with empowerment, which will pay dividends down the line when the workload does start to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to setting up a daily \u2018connection\u2019 routine with positive associations right from the start, parents should also help their children build the skills which will be required from them later in their school careers.<\/p>\n \u201cChildren need a healthy diet, plenty of sleep and exercise. Unhealthy habits and routines can quickly start to show in a child\u2019s general disposition and academic engagement, so establishing good habits \u2013 including limiting screentime \u2013 is key.<\/p>\n \u201cBy fostering connection time, parents will build trusting relationships with their children, so that when something may be troubling them, they reach out to their parents as their first line of support and care.\u201d<\/p>\n Desiree Hugo is the academic head of the schools division at ADvTECH, a <\/em>leading private education provider.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Transitioning from preschool to the more formal primary school setting is a significant milestone for both children and their parents. With intentional preparation, parents can help their children embark on this new educational journey with confidence. We speak to educational expert Desiree Hugo on how to set a positive tone in the coming weeks, to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":42719,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-42708","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kids"},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/group-students-standing-together-400x267.jpg\")
Foster perseverance<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/magnifier-curly-haired-little-girl-400x267.jpg\")
Develop healthy routines to build resilience<\/strong><\/p>\n