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Moving? Help with adjustment | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper
Posted on: Thursday, July 27, 2006

Moving? Help with adjustment

By Cliff Fukuda

QUESTIONS?

Send your education questions to education editor Dan Woods at 525-5441 or dwoods@hono luluadavertiser.com.

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Moving can be both an exciting and stressful time for parents and children. As stressful as it may be on adults, children often find a move to be a time of sadness.

If the move is planned in advance, parents can help their children to adjust to the transition to a new school and environment. Here are a few ways to help your child through this difficult time:

  • When to schedule a move. Families often move when they have to, and not exactly when they want to. If you do have a choice, it's generally better to move during the mid-school year, not the summer months.

    Moving when school is out of session places your child in new and unfamiliar surroundings when the chance of making new friends is low. Moving while school is in session will allow your child to go from one social setting to another, and gives his or her new school, teacher and classmates the chance to show him or her individual attention.

  • Ensure a proper goodbye. Contact your student's teacher and see if you can help set aside a few minutes on your child's last day of class to say goodbye to classmates. A proper goodbye can help your child feel closure about the move.

  • Contact the new school. Give your child a head start at the new school by doing some scouting ahead of time. Contact the principal, your child's counselor and new teacher.

    Also check the school's Web page. If possible, plan a visit to the school with your child before the move so he can get acquainted with the new surroundings.

  • Help your student get involved. Getting your child to participate in activities at the new school is important in the adjustment process.

    Encourage your child to get involved in co-curricular activities such as sports, band, clubs or student government. This will help your child to continue a favorite activity or start a new one that will give him feelings of accomplishment that do not depend on fitting into the social order at the new school.

  • Stay active in the new school. Do your best to stay abreast of how your child is fitting into the new environment. Ask your child how he or she is doing at school. Staying in touch with teachers and school officials is important in guaranteeing a great new start and helping to create a successful new school environment.

    Cliff Fukuda is a social studies teacher and student government adviser at 'Aiea High School. He is also a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
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