The start of a new school year can be a time of excitement. Some children can't wait to meet their new teacher and gather with new and returning students. With the privileges of going to a private school, the possibilities of a joyful year of learning, friendships, and fun can delight students. However, sometimes anxiety can creep up when kids face the unknown. Follow these tips to help your kids adjust to a new school year.

Tip: Offer Suggestions to Help Your Kids Get More Involved

Children who are involved in things at school often have an easier time making friends. When children reveal their interests, you may encourage them to further explore them and get involved in a variety of things at school.

For example, if your child expresses an interest in watching a sport, you may encourage him or her to try out for the sports team at school. If your child enjoys watching television shows about the pioneer days, you may encourage them to join or start a history club. Follow their lead and help them build on their interests.

Tip: Set Time Aside for Daily After-School Chats

After children finish a long day at school, they are likely bursting to talk about all the new things that happened in their world that day. Be sure to set aside time for daily after-school chats with your kids. If possible, try to provide one-on-one time with each child where he or she is the center of all your attention.

Try asking open-ended questions to get your kids to open up during these discussions. Consider these questions you may want to try:

• What was the funniest thing that happened during the day?
• Why do you think they did that? (This can be asked when your child talks about something that another student did wrong.)
• How do you feel about how your teacher responded to that? (This question can refer to any incident the child mentions.)
• What do you wish you would have done differently? How do you think that knowing what you would change will help you make a different choice next time? 

These are just a few examples of effective open-ended questions. You can ask a variety of different questions each day to help your child discuss the day, and it may simultaneously develop their conversational and critical thinking skills.

Finally, keep in mind that private schools support students with a wealth of opportunities throughout the school year. From sports and social events to the quality of education in the classroom, it empowers kids to thrive. By being proactive in helping your children adjust to the new school year, you can help set them up for a successful time in school throughout the year.