August 2023
Ready for a New School Year?
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the start of a new school year! Time is quickly flying by, and each year our little ones are growing more and more, with nothing to stop them but an image frozen in time.
Here at Venture, we want to take photographs worthy of your walls. We want to capture the moment your child starts and ends school, and everything in between. A child’s school years are some of the most important. It’s where they start to learn who they are, who they want to be, and it gives them a taste of what a world without you by their side might look like.
We can’t keep our children at home forever, but we can keep those framed memories.
Our studios know how to make each photoshoot a unique experience that you can feel comfortable in and enjoy. We want it to be something that both you and your child will remember when you look at their school photo as you hang it in their new home, surrounded by your new little family members in ten, twenty, or even thirty years.
So why not take a look at our back-to-school offer? We’re ready to help you make some beautiful memories.
Whether you book with Venture, or capture your little ones at home, it’s important that you’re happy with those back-to-school photos. See our other blog post on the top ten tips for photographing children.
And if you’re feeling worried about the start of a new school year for your little ones, here’s some tips for how to prepare for the start of their school journey:
Preparing emotionally:
Our children can be anxious at the thought of starting school – so can parents! Remember that it’s a beautiful thing to watch our children grow, and there’s lots of ways to prepare before the first day.
Read books with your child about starting school – this gives them a way to draw out their worries and lets you reassure them. Ask them to draw a picture about school and get them to talk you through it.
Talk them through all the things they will learn at school and some of the emotions they might feel – focus on the positives!
Draw a heart on the palm of your hand and on theirs. Before they go in supercharge the heart by pressing your hands together. Or find a button and rub it in your hands then pop it in their pocket and tell them it’s a brave button – and whenever they feel nervous they just need to rub it.
Preparing practically:
Don’t over do it on the school uniform! Children grow so quickly and you don’t want it to go to waste. Most schools do a uniform sale half way through the year, so it’s easy to pick up the next size when you need it!
Iron-on labels might come in handy for putting your child’s name onto clothes – put a sharpie also works wonders. Label anything and everything!
Practice putting on shoes and zipping coats – these are things they will need to do by themselves, so they need to be confident. Velcro shoes are a must!!
Preparing Academically:
Most parents’ aim is to send their child to school with some confidence and independence. Over summer it’s important to make sure your child is ready and happy to start learning.
Teach them to recognise their name – try to make it playful so that they are interested. Ask them to find it amongst other letters and words. Make it into a game. Let them play around with it when it’s written down.;
Using the toilet independently – help them to learn how to clean themselves and redress themselves. Also help to teach them the importance of washing their hands.
Encourage them to talk to other children – children worry about making new friends, so it’s important to help by encouraging eye contact and smiling, and ask other children for their names!
Remind them if they’re ever worried, to see a grown up.
For our families with high-school starters, here’s a few tips with how to deal with this big change:
Encourage your child to get organised the night before, and try to let them manage their time efficiently so that they don’t rely on you to do everything.
Have a list at home where they can mark what they need to do and bring, so that the whole family can see.
Travel the route to school so that they feel less nervous on the first day.
Listen to their anxieties and help to reassure them that they can do it.;
Join parents groups on social media for the school, so that you and your family can stay informed.;
It really is true that that years go faster as we get older, but that feels especially true as we watch our little ones grow through school. We don’t want you to forget these moments! Let us help you capture you child’s new year at school.
