1st Year Information Booklet

Every young adult will have a more positive post-primary experience if they are in good health. A healthy, balanced diet is a huge step in the right direction. Steer your child away from junk food and takeaways. Focus on fresh, simple foods. You don’t need to be a MasterChef contender! Just ensure your child eats regular meals that include plenty of fruit, vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

Many parents notice that their child sleeps more once they reach post-primary age. This is not a cause for alarm. Your child is being challenged constantly and needs plenty of rest to recharge their batteries. Sleep offers great healing, so provide your child with an environment that promotes sleep. Remind your child that their bed is a place for sleeping – not homework or surfing the internet! Regular, uninterrupted sleep is vital for young minds and bodies. Nobody needs to have a smartphone in their bedroom. The phone opens up a different world that never sleeps. Even a tiny beep or vibration can interrupt sleep and draw our attention to a device. And there is no escaping the role played by technology in bullying. One way to reduce the risk of online bullying is to turn off your child’s phone!

As a society, we are learning more all the time about good mental health. We know that a healthy diet, quality sleep and regular exercise are important for staying well. And we can see that psychological health is vital too. A problem shared is a problem halved. Nobody should suffer in silence. If you or your child are having any issues, remember that help is available. Your GP is a great source of advice, as well as the teachers at your child’s school. Confide in the people who can help. The transition from primary to post-primary is a journey. Inevitably, there will be ups and downs – for your child and for you. We can’t predict everything that will happen, but we can prepare ourselves well. Knowledge helps us to meet whatever challenges might lie ahead. If we stay present and keep learning, we will know that we did everything possible for the next generation.

I have taken these tips from the Folens ‘Transition from Primary to Post-Primary: A Guide for Parents’ written by Graham Richmond. Graham is a secondary school teacher, counsellor and sports coach in East Glendalough School. With over 20 years’ experience working in education, he is acutely aware of the difficulties and challenges many students face during the transition from primary to secondary school. Graham also gives talks to parents, across Dublin and Wicklow, providing them with information and guidance on how best to support their children during this transition.