When to start preparing for September 1st.

Someone has several higher educations - it happened to me with school. I went to high school on my own, then helped my eldest son with his studies, and when my twins went to first grade, and I sat down to do homework with them, I joked that I was getting a "third average."

These were my best years: at my school, and then in two more - very eventful. Again, fights over an eraser, tears over an unfair deuce, the joy of winning a sports tournament, hysteria over a problem that cannot be solved in any way, and a lie in response to the question "Why did you leave the lesson?" When I go through all this with the children, I don’t know when I was right and when I was wrong, but mainly I tried to explain to them that in the lessons they get something much more important than knowledge in algebra and geography.

Here's what I told them:

1. Knowledge is not as important as the fact that you learn to get it. You may not remember the exact date of the Battle of Kulikovo or the Battle of Shorginsky, you will not draw a model of methylcyclobutane on the go, but this is not necessary. The main thing that you will learn during the school is to search, find out, quench your thirst. This is what you will need every day in your adult life.

2. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and don't be ashamed of your mistakes. They are a more significant indicator of progress than achievement. Achievement gives rise to the illusion that success can come easily. Failure shows that the path to success is difficult. By correcting a mistake, you better understand what you did wrong. In addition, success can be repeated, but a mistake, if you are not a complete fool, is unlikely. This is its value.

3. There is no useless and unnecessary knowledge. Some subject will seem boring to you, some teacher uninteresting. Take it as a challenge, as an incentive to get knowledge yourself, to look for alternative sources on YouTube and on educational sites. This will give you the opportunity to be the best in class. And to understand that even a weak teacher - for some reason, he is also in his place. Even if not on your own.

4. Always cheat when asked to. There are two points of view on this issue: that writing off is bad and that there is nothing wrong with that. I adhere to the one that it’s better not to write off yourself, but you need to help others. Do not regret the time you spent on this work. When a classmate cheats, he will learn something, which means he will become better oriented in the material. And the higher the level of knowledge of other students, the sooner you will find yourself in a more serious competitive environment. The growth of others will oblige you to grow faster.

5. When you finish school, you will miss her. Because this is the time when you are absolutely protected. The schedule of lessons, the parents, the teacher, the walls themselves. In adulthood, you will face things that are aggressive and difficult, where no one will protect you. Appreciate every day at school. And in general, every day - it will never happen again.

6. Take friendship with your schoolmates very seriously. Practice shows that we make the most devoted and long-lasting friends at school. Maybe because children still do not know how to dissemble and you choose for yourself to communicate with those who are closest to you in spirit, inner charge, character. And life values ​​are formed in you at once common, joint. In friendship, this is the most valuable thing.

7. Never put anything off until later. Learn a verse, solve a problem, read a paragraph - all this should be done immediately, as soon as you remember that you need to do it. All failures and global failures in life begin where you show cowardice, choosing "not to do" or "to do later." Any history of failure is a history of unfulfilled tasks. As soon as you learn how to start solving a problem right away, you will see that things will take shape twice as fast.

8. Learn to enjoy what you do. This is an amazing, wonderful feeling when you no longer owe anything to anyone, when you are free and not bound by the need to think about what hangs like a stone around your neck. Imagine: the heaviness of feeling when you owe something, and the freedom that you have already done everything - are separated by only an hour and a half. Only 1/20 of the total time that is in the day. Do it and feel happy. This is the shortest path to happiness that I know.

9. Participate in everything, as any experience is useful. Theatrical production is very good. The Olympics are great. Sweep dry leaves on the school yard - you always dreamed about it. You have to test yourself in a variety of situations to understand which ones you like and which ones you don't. And find out how you can do what you don't like as quickly as possible. But so that it is still done with high quality. And be sure to read. The book will tell you about other people, their feelings, their decisions. You will know everything they know. Their experience becomes yours.

10. I love you. I believe that you can do everything. I know that you are a smart, correct, well-mannered person, that you are a fighter, and that in a difficult moment you will not be afraid, you will not be confused, you will not be blown away and you will not back down. A man can do a lot, you can handle it. Especially if you keep the previous nine points in mind.

Summer holidays have an unpleasant property - to end suddenly: yesterday was June, but now it's time to start the alarm again. Our tips will help you avoid pre-training panic and still be in time.

HANG IN A VISIBLE PLACE a large sheet of whatman paper or a magnetic/corkboard. There will be a "process control panel": a schedule of school and extracurricular activities, reminders, family plans and messages from the school, which you should read.

Go to the SHOP FOR NOTEBOOKS AND pens in the morning, to the opening! Tip: to improve your mood, be sure to buy something not very necessary, but unusual: luminous markers, a cool pencil case or multi-colored tape.

SET YOUR HOUSE CLOCK 10 minutes ahead (but don't tell anyone).

TAKE CARE OF HEALTH: vaccinations, scheduled visits to the doctor, certificates for sports sections (of course, it is better to take them in advance). And check, by the way, if the child has got lice. Today it sounds much scarier than it actually is, and you can deal with the scourge very easily and quickly, but it’s better to inspect your head in advance, and not on September 1.

ASK THE CHILDREN TO MAKE A LIST of breakfasts that they would like to eat in the morning and carry with them, this will make it easier for you to get ready in the morning and help you get inspired with ideas.

CHECK THE SCHOOL WEBSITE - there is already information about the meeting, class schedule or other important news. Download and study the list of literature for the upcoming academic year - you can already start reading something.

REVIEW THE CHILDREN'S WARDROBE: schoolchildren often grow up in the last days of August. Sign clothes and shoes (use special tags or thermal stickers).

DISCUSS THE RULES OF "Screen Time": how often and how much children are allowed to use gadgets and play computer games, whether additional hours will be a reward for achievement (or their reduction - a punishment).

DO NOT CHARGE your CHILD to clean his room on his own: help him prepare the workplace, throw out all the old notebooks.

MAKE SURE SUMMER PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE: herbariums, reader's diaries, etc. If not, it's better to make a mini version of the project or write a review of a couple of interesting books than to rush and spoil the mood for yourself and the child.

SHIFT YOUR SCHEDULE: If you start waking and putting your kids to bed a little earlier two weeks in advance, the first week of school will be much less stressful.

Do not create unnecessary reasons for the excitement of the child

Of course, we start preparing for September 1 the day before. Usually, on August 31, there is a beautiful bouquet on the table, the steamed uniform hangs on the shoulders, and the child sorts out the things that he will take to school tomorrow for the hundredth time.

On the evening of August 31, Kolya is restless. He takes out a pencil case, reviews the pencils and puts the pencil case back in the briefcase. These repetitive actions (called compulsive actions in psychology) help Kolya deal with anxiety. But from the outside they look unsightly and only unnerve parents. They tell Kolya: “Put everything in your briefcase and don’t touch anything, otherwise you’ll forget the pencil case tomorrow. Better do something useful, draw or play. But Kolya gets even more nervous (what if the truth forgets the pencil case or something) and eventually starts crying.

Indeed, it is difficult for Kolya to switch to any other activity, all his thoughts are now occupied with school. What to do on the evening of August 31, when everything is ready for school? Come up with some simple joint event that will bring positive emotions to both you and the child. For example, going to the movies would be a good option. This will distract the child from obsessive thoughts about school and entertain him. Of course, cinema is not a panacea. Each family will choose its own option: someone will go for a bike ride in the park, someone will go to the zoo. Choose your leisure option for this day.

Masha's mom is baking a cake. After all, tomorrow is a big holiday for her daughter, and she wants to properly celebrate this day. Mom is a true craftswoman. She decorates the cake with mastic and sculpts figurines: there is an ABC book, colored pencils, a bouquet of flowers, and first grader Masha herself with a briefcase. In general, not a cake, but a real work of art. But Masha interferes with her mother, does not allow her to cook. She constantly asks if her mother will finish work soon. Why is Masha rushing her mother? Masha is just afraid that her mother will not have time to iron her school uniform, which is in the closet. Mom brushes off Masha, several times says that everything will be in time. All evening Masha spins around her mother until she “explodes” and shouts at Masha: “Calm down with your dress! I will caress everything for you! I'm making a cake for you! Masha is crying. It's getting late and it's time for Masha to go to bed in tears.

Of course, Masha's mother tried very hard to please her daughter. But did it work out to the fullest? Mom calculated the time and understood that she had time for everything. But her unpreparedness for school worried Masha very much. Anxiety did not give her the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful cake. It would probably be better to make the cake after the mold has been ironed. So Masha would be calmer.

Give the child the opportunity to do what is important to him

What does a typical first grader look like? Elegant school uniform, a bouquet of flowers and a briefcase. This is what a first-grader looks like in the picture, right?

Dima collects his briefcase in the evening. He puts a pencil case there, takes notebooks, a diary, an album for drawing, colored pencils, a bottle of water. His fees seem funny: as if he is going on a long journey (by the way, this is a journey to a new adult life). Mom tries to explain to Dima that he won’t need all this at school: a heavy briefcase will interfere with the line, and they won’t have lessons yet. But Dima protests.

Should I take my briefcase to school with me? Formally, a briefcase is not needed - all adults know this. But for a child, it is an important attribute of schooling. The first grader has been waiting all summer for the opportunity to put a satchel on his shoulders. Is it worth depriving him of this joy? The preparations help the child to calm down (remember Kolya, who shifted pencils), to tune in to a new day. In addition, when the child has collected everything he needs, he feels fully equipped, ready for school. Is it worth taking a briefcase from a child if it is an attribute of readiness? I don't think it's worth it.

Will the briefcase come in handy on September 1st? Partly yes. You can take a photo with a briefcase. Small, but useful. And a first-grader usually gets a primer in the first lesson. In some schools, there is still such a tradition that all first-graders receive books, information booklets (traffic rules, schedules of circles and sections in the area, etc.) from the municipality as a gift. And then the portfolio will come in handy for sure! After all, the student will be able to put all the gifts in the briefcase himself and bring them home!

The point, of course, is not in the portfolio. The most important thing is to give the child the opportunity to do what is important to him.

Don't show your excitement

Of course, we parents are also worried. How not to worry about such a day! However, it is important to understand that the excitement of some family members is transmitted to others.

Sveta's grandmother is a retired teacher. On the eve of September 1, she is anxious. She will take her granddaughter to the 1st grade of her school. Schools where she worked for 30 years and still works. Grandmother is getting ready: a strict dress is ironed and hangs in her room. But the grandmother constantly talks to Sveta, gives the last instructions: “Sveta, don’t talk at the lesson, don’t turn around, sit still and obey the teacher. The main thing is to study well, for five. I don't want to be ashamed of you." Sveta listens to her grandmother. At this moment, she looks like a mouse shaking in front of a cat ... It becomes scary for her to go to school. And although Sveta has heard these words from her grandmother many times, now she is doubly scared. After all, school is tomorrow.

So who's scared and who's in trouble? Of course, grandma is scared. It is important for her, an honored teacher, that her granddaughter justify her hopes, so that she would not be ashamed in front of her colleagues. Of course, she wants to be proud of the girl. But is it worth shifting this excitement to the child? Of course not. The most important thing is to create a positive attitude towards schooling.

Sasha plays with cars. He made a racing track and with a roar lowers the cars one by one along it. He is interested. But dad gets angry. He tells his mother: "The boy is already big, but he still plays and plays." Then he turns to Sasha: “It would be better to prepare for school, read a book.” Sasha takes the book, but does not read. He sits sad and sighs.

And again, the anxiety of the adult is transmitted to the child. Sasha found a wonderful occupation for himself, he was calm until his father reminded him of the school so that the anxiety was transmitted to Sasha.

If you are worried, dear adults, and you find it difficult to cope with your excitement, see if you are avoiding anxiety by passing it on to others? To reduce anxiety, try to do something interesting with your child: read a book, watch a good movie, draw or take a walk.

Make sure your child is comfortable

September 1 is a difficult day. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the child is as comfortable as possible. Up to this point, we have talked about the psychological well-being of the child, but you need to take care of his bodily comfort.

The main source of inconvenience for a first grader is a bouquet of flowers. In life, we don't go for an hour, or even more, with bouquets, right? Usually flowers are brought to the celebration and handed over to the hero of the occasion. But September 1st is different. With a bouquet, you need to get to school, then wait for the line and still stand the entire line. Difficult test.

At the same time, parents often want to surprise others and buy the most beautiful, the most original bouquet. Alas, originality does not always mean convenience.

Vari's mom always tries to stand out from the crowd. Therefore, by September 1, she ordered a very unusual bouquet of gingerbread. She wanted to attract the attention of the teacher on September 1st. The multicolored gingerbread flowers were in a pretty pot and nicely packaged. Only the bouquet had to be held by the pot. But it's the little things, right? The main thing is beauty and uniqueness. My mother carried the bouquet to school. On the ruler, it was very inconvenient for Varya to hold the bouquet with both hands, but she did it. But when the eleventh graders approached the first graders to take them to school, a problem arose. Varya took the bouquet with one hand and broke the flowers. The original gift was damaged...

It is important that the student's bouquet is light, practical, comfortable and non-traumatic.

Andrey's bouquet was, perhaps, the most original in the 1 "A" box office, and in the whole school: pencils served as its decoration. It was only inconvenient to stand next to Andrei, as sharply sharpened pencils pricked his neighbor. Therefore, the children moved away from Andrei, and it was unpleasant. The teacher had to take the boy's bouquet. So he stood the whole line without a bouquet ...

Even if you want to stand out, think first of all about the convenience of the child. Tall bouquets of gladioli are heavy and usually they “sweep” the asphalt ... Lately, apples, other fruits and even vegetables have been used to decorate bouquets. This is original, but again not very convenient for the child: such bouquets are quite heavy. Give preference to a simple light bouquet, which can be no less beautiful than an unusual bouquet of apples.

In addition to the bouquet, think about the clothes and shoes of the child. Are the shoes tight? Is the bow too big? Try to let your child wear new shoes for at least a few days, and new clothes can be worn a little the day before. Some children play with their new briefcase and pencil case for almost half a summer. Don't scold them for it. It is unlikely that they will bring these things into disrepair. But on the other hand, the new briefcase will already become a comfortable familiar thing and will not rub your shoulders. Do not make the girl new unusual hairstyles on this day. It is better to braid your hair in the usual way, because a new hairstyle can become untangled or uncomfortable.

September 1 is an important day for both the child and the parents. But the main thing is a good mood and the joy of meeting with the school!

Read the second part of this article, in which you will find out whether it is necessary to go to school with the whole family, how to celebrate the day of entering school, what to give to a first grader.

A little more - and your first grader will go to school. What does he need and what can he do without? Let's go shopping!

When you go shopping for school supplies, take your child with you. Not all children like to go shopping, but then you don’t have to run there a second time to exchange a bag you don’t like or shoes that don’t fit. It is better to go shopping in the morning - in the afternoon there are more people in shopping centers and in transport, this is tiring for a child. Often, parents receive a list of everything necessary when enrolling a child in first grade. If no instructions were given to you, it does not matter. Here is a list of what to buy for school.

- School uniform
Some schools allow children to wear normal business attire. The boy will need several shirts of different colors, trousers with a jacket or cardigan. Blouses, turtlenecks, a skirt, a sundress, a jacket or a blouse are suitable for a girl. If the form is required, find out in advance where it is sold. Many manufacturers have branded stores and do not sell through intermediaries, which means that the outlet closest to your home may not have the uniform you need.

- Shoes
You will have to forget about kindergarten sandals. Students wear shoes or boots. Some parents save money and buy only sneakers for their sons, in which they both sit in class and run in physical education. If the school does not object, then you can do so. But sometimes in an educational institution there is a dress code, and they are not allowed to walk all day in sneakers. Also pay attention to the sole: the dark one can leave marks on the school floor, and then you have to buy new shoes.

- Sports uniform
T-shirt, trousers or shorts. Specify - in some schools there is a single sports uniform.

- Briefcase
Usually a first-grader is advised to buy a satchel with an orthopedic back. But such briefcases weigh much more than simple backpacks - the difference can be 1 kg. And yes, they are much more expensive. A backpack with a hard back costs an average of 3000-5000 rubles. And you can buy a backpack for 1500 rubles, and even for 500 rubles. If you plan to accompany a first grader to school and meet them, then most likely you will carry this briefcase yourself. And then let it be without a special back, but it will be much easier for you to carry it.

— Bag for change shoes

— Covers for notebooks, textbooks, diary
Take in reserve, 30 pieces - they are quickly torn. Take a look at textbook covers. Now all schools teach according to different programs, each has its own textbooks, which differ, among other things, in size.

- Pencil case
Better soft, with a zipper, rather than plastic or metal, which are difficult to open and rumble loudly - the child will interfere with the teacher and classmates.

— Simple pencils(10 pieces) with erasers on the ends, colored (box of at least 12 colors)
Take more stationery - they are inexpensive and get lost very quickly.

- Pens(10 pieces)
Usually first graders aren't allowed to write in black ink, so get some blue pens. Some teachers allow toddlers to have erasable pens.

- Ruler(20 cm)

- Sharpener

— Eraser

— Notebooks 12 sheets in an oblique ruler and a cage(20 pieces each)
In some schools, first-graders begin to write in large-sized notebooks.

— Album for drawing(5 items)
Take different albums - both 12 sheets and 30 sheets. Thin ones are convenient to wear to school, and thick ones can be used to draw at home.

— Plasticine(minimum 6 colors)

— Paints: gouache and watercolor (minimum 6 colors)

- Brushes(6 items)
Don't forget to buy brushes of different thicknesses

— Glass for water

- Glue(pencil and stationery)

- Scissors with rounded ends

— Colored paper, cardboard
It will be nice if you buy several sets - velvet, patterned, thick, thin. At technology lessons, first-graders fold origami, glue applications, so the richer the material for creativity, the better.

- Diary
Keep in mind that sometimes, at the request of the teacher, the parent committee purchases the same diaries for the entire class.

If the school didn't ask you, don't buy:

- Book stand
The fewer extra items in the briefcase and on the desk, the easier it is for the child. Until the first-grader takes out the stand, until he installs it, until he puts the textbook in it, you look, and the lesson is over.

— Bookmarks
They often fall out of textbooks, crumple and get lost.

— Felt pens
Usually teachers don't like felt-tip pens, because they are too easy to draw with, and the first grader's hand, which needs to be trained, does not strain.


— Stacks for plasticine
Children rarely use them, hands are more convenient.

- Folder for notebooks
Do not complicate the life of a first grader, he will have a hard time anyway - there is so much to remember and do quickly. If you still put away notebooks in a folder, then the change will not be enough. Are you worried that the notebooks in your briefcase will be wrinkled? Encourage your child to put them in textbooks.

- Cash desks of numbers, syllables, etc.
Many teachers do not use these manuals at all. If any set is needed, the teacher will warn the children in advance.

One problem remains - where to buy all this so as not to go broke. A chain hypermarket like "Ashana" or "Metro" is quite suitable. True, there may not be a suitable school uniform or covers of the right size. Then "Children's World" or a fair of school goods will help you out. The largest Moscow fair "From A to Z" will be held from 17 to 25 August at the All-Russian Exhibition Center.

Alexandra Ulyanova