Parenting Decoded: School Admissions
Admissions– the dreaded word that drives the sanest of parents into a frenzy! That time when they have to make a BIG decision for their children. Parents speculate over which schools to pick for their child, fill out as many forms as they can and then wait for the school to pick their child. Such is the irony of school admissions! As the drama enfolds what transpires is the forms, questionnaires, interviews, lists, fees, waiting lists giving parents sleepless nights. Come January and schools all over the country begin their admission processes. In this week’s Parenting Decoded, let’s read what other parents have gone through while crossing this milestone.
1. Interviews, exams? What else?
Different schools have different methods of evaluation. Some take exams, some conduct interviews. Nitika Sipani talks about the difficult questions that schools ask parents.
“The parents are also grilled with 2-3 rounds of group discussions and interviews. Whom does the school want to educate, the child or the parents?”
2. To learn the A-B-C of life!
Usha Menon’s post prompts you to think of the things a child ought to learn at a school. Is it the A-B-C that needs to be emphasised on? Or little things that teach them life skills.
“The child’s entrance to a school must be a thrilling moment not only for the child, but also for the parents.”
3. You can’t have it all! Prioritize.
Indu writes about the factors she had to consider and then prioritize from when choosing the right school for her twins. How they were apprehensive about the commute but waited out to see how the children react.
“We gave in to the distance. We put them in the school we liked and made the kids travel a lot.”
4. Get ready for the routine.
Reema Sahay http://humanrightsfilmnetwork.org/valtrex recounts how she introduced the school routine into her son’s daily schedules without any hiccups. And how she coped with the separation anxiety every mom feels when leaving their child at school.
“Many times well-meaning parents send their kids to school before they are the right age, may be to give them advantage of age later.”
5. Forget admissions. Home school instead.
Ever wondered if you should homeschool your child? Sharon puts forth a valid point on home schooling, the whys and why nots. Find out if homeschooling is a good option for your child?
“Was I doing my kids a disservice by putting them through the daily grind of regimental schooling?”
6. Or consider a boarding school?
And sometimes sending your child to a boarding school may be a good idea. If you are facing the same dilemma Sapna did a few years ago, read on and find out how she made the right decision for her daughter.
“Having lived in a boarding myself (Fifteen years no less!!) I always thought when the time to send my own children to a boarding school would arrive, I would be able to do so easily.”
7. Finally, put your worries to rest.
It obvious for parents to worry when the child starts school. Yamini tells us how her son adapted easily putting all her fears to rest.
“I told myself, let me give it a try, and if things don’t seem to work, I will let go the career immediately, without hesitation. In front of my child, everything else seemed expendable.”
Hope you liked our picks. How was your experience of sending your child to school the very first time? Do you have any special memories of school admissions of your child? Let us know in the comments section below.
