I can hardly get my head around the fact that the summer is scuppered.

Most first years are mere days away from stepping through the doors of their brand new secondary school. As daunting as the move to school can be for Junior infants, first year students tend to have heads brimming with more questions and dilemmas than their gloriously oblivious five year old counterparts.

Hopefully, the main emotion experienced by them is excitement, but it’s perfectly natural for that to be tinged with a degree of apprehension.

Having grown accustomed to their primary school setting where they inevitably ruled the roost, they are back to being the small fish in a big pond.

Some students are well ready for the transition from primary to secondary, but others meet it with more trepidation. Keep the channels of communication open without overdoing it as a topic of conversation; they could clam up if they get fed up! Validate all of their feelings and reassure them that any and all emotions are to be expected at this pivotal time in their education.

A settling in period will be required across the board for first years. Their secondary school is likely to be a bigger and busier environment than they’ve been used to; a myriad of corridors to navigate and new routines, such as lockers and changing classrooms for many of them.

As a secondary school teacher myself, I see that it all balances out in the end, but some students invariably take longer to adjust than others.

Please keep in touch with the school and let them know if your child is experiencing any difficulties. Those calls can be invaluable in helping them to settle with the support of the school. It can be done discreetly too and the school will appreciate the heads up from home about who to keep a closer pastoral eye on.

Many first years agonise about whether or not they’ll know anyone in their class. This is a perfectly legitimate concern for them, but reassure them that all first years are in the same boat in that regard.

Parents know too from their own personal experiences that true friendships for life are forged in secondary school. Strangers become friends in no time – and those friends can go on to be bridesmaids and godmothers later in life. Secondary school friendships can go the distance and it all starts with a furtive glance in first year!

Have a read of the school rules that apply in your child’s school. Encourage them to tow the line and their time at school will be much more plain sailing.

My daughter is going into 6th class and she wants to get a second piercing in her earlobes. However, only one piercing per ear is allowed in both her primary school and the secondary school she will be attending down the line. I’ve told her that if she wants an additional piercing that’s fine, but she’ll have to rotate the earrings from one hole to the other to keep them open from Monday to Friday. I have no issue with the second piercing but nevertheless, I will enforce the rule wholeheartedly.

We can’t pick and choose when it comes to the school rules. It’s what we sign up for when we enroll in a school. This is the teacher in me talking, but I have seen that staying on the right side of the rules will help keep their school experience hassle free.

And I’m all about a hassle free life!

Louise Flanagan is an admin of Letterkenny Babies Facebook page and the author of the children’s book series, Dragonterra and Dream Beasts. www.dragonterra.ie