This post was brought to you in part by Garden International School.

The start of a new year often involves new beginnings and fresh starts: changing schools, starting new jobs, moving house or even shifting countries. While these sorts of changes can be very exciting, they can also be unsettling and challenging for everyone in the family – and particularly for children.

Supporting your children

As parents, it is our job to support our children through the times of change and help them feel prepared to face any challenges that come their way. The most important thing you can do? Talk! Try and assure your child that it is perfectly normal to feel scared or anxious about the next chapter. Acknowledge their fear of making new friends and their worries about possibly losing their current friendships. Talk about how you are feeling about the changes too – it’s important they know they’re not alone.

Often, children’s anxieties about change are deeply connected to the ‘unknown’ elements that lie ahead. So, get on the front foot and involve your child in the research and planning. Wherever possible, get their input into family decisions so they feel they’ve got some control over the changes ahead, and prepared for what is to come.

We’re in this together

Whether you join us at the beginning of the academic year or somewhere in between, we’ll do our best to support your family and ensure you have a smooth transition.  In fact, in recognition of Garden International School’s outstanding work in supporting families, the school was recently shortlisted for the ‘School Offering Outstanding Relocation Support’ by Relocate magazine’s Relocate Awards 2018.

For new GIS parents, our dedicated PTF Committee runs plenty of events for new families and a successful parent buddy programme. Regular coffee mornings and weekly parent workshops also help ensure that all new and existing parents get the chance to chat, learn and connect on a regular basis.

For new students, we have a team of full-time, highly qualified counsellors that work closely with our teachers, leaders and parents to help ensure that every child has a smooth transition into our school community. By ensuring our children feel comfortable, supported and cared for during times of potential uncertainty and change, we see them become confident learners who can thrive socially, emotionally and academically.

Interested to learn more about GIS? Get in touch, book a tour, or discover more of GIS at gardenschool.edu.my or via [email protected]. You can also stay updated with GIS via their Facebook and Instagram pages.

All images courtesy of Garden International School.