1
00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:06,439
Speaker 1: It's the Happy Families podcast.

2
00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,240
Speaker 2: It's the podcast for the time poor parent who just

3
00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:11,240
Speaker 2: wants answers.

4
00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,799
Speaker 1: Now, school holidays they've arrived in some states, they're just

5
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,920
Speaker 1: around the corner in other states and for a whole

6
00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,520
Speaker 1: cohort of the Australian population, our three, four or five

7
00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,759
Speaker 1: year old depending on when you're starting school, well, big

8
00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,800
Speaker 1: school is about to happen, brand new experiences, lots of

9
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,280
Speaker 1: tears on the part of both parents and kids as

10
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,080
Speaker 1: we moved through our final Christmas before little ones go

11
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,280
Speaker 1: to school. Now, if you're in that target demographic, today's

12
00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,680
Speaker 1: podcast is just for you, if the kids are about

13
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:45,519
Speaker 1: to start school, or if you know someone you need

14
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,400
Speaker 1: to share this one with them. Zoe Rag is a

15
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,960
Speaker 1: parent educator, former primary school teacher and a mom of

16
00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,080
Speaker 1: two little ones, a little boy and little girl. And

17
00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,840
Speaker 1: Zoe facilitates a weekly educational playgroup in Brisbane and educates

18
00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,960
Speaker 1: parents around transitioning children to primary school. Oh my goodness,

19
00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:04,959
Speaker 1: I've done this six times and it still makes my

20
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,400
Speaker 1: heart go oh, Like, there's just this whole I turned

21
00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,919
Speaker 1: into a big, soppy mess. Anyway, Zoe's on a mission

22
00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,200
Speaker 1: to empower parents by instilling confidence enhancing their knowledge and

23
00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,679
Speaker 1: skill set because parents the child's first and best teacher. So, Zoe,

24
00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,080
Speaker 1: thanks so much for joining me on the podcast. You're

25
00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,160
Speaker 1: looking after a whole lot of kids that around this age,

26
00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,399
Speaker 1: and a big bunch of kids that you've been looking

27
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,240
Speaker 1: after all year are about to head off to big school.

28
00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:31,800
Speaker 1: We hear this term school readiness all the time. It's

29
00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,240
Speaker 1: thrown around a lot. What does school readiness mean?

30
00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,760
Speaker 2: Hello, justin thank you so much for having me so

31
00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,800
Speaker 2: school readiness. Yes, it is a very common term that

32
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,840
Speaker 2: we hear a lot. And I think two things about this.

33
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,520
Speaker 2: I think that we can parents can support their children's

34
00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,400
Speaker 2: transition to be, you know, ready for school. But also

35
00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,120
Speaker 2: what about ready schools, you know, schools being ready for

36
00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,440
Speaker 2: the diverse range of learners that are coming their way too.

37
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,000
Speaker 2: So I think that parents can really take a lot

38
00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,000
Speaker 2: of action to support and have a smoother transition for

39
00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,040
Speaker 2: their children. And I like to think about school readiness

40
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:16,520
Speaker 2: as essentials and advantages, you know, So when I think

41
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,079
Speaker 2: about essentials, I think about the things that these would

42
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,519
Speaker 2: be really really helpful for your child to know ahead

43
00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,480
Speaker 2: of starting school to just ease that transition for them.

44
00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,200
Speaker 2: Things like self help skills. Are they confident and independent

45
00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,720
Speaker 2: undressing and dressing themselves because they're going to need that

46
00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:35,839
Speaker 2: when they go and use the bathrooms because there won't

47
00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,760
Speaker 2: be an educator in the bathrooms with them. And you know,

48
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,640
Speaker 2: things like focusing for short bursts of time. And also

49
00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:49,000
Speaker 2: another essential I think is recognizing their name. So say,

50
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,160
Speaker 2: for instance, you had your child's name written on a

51
00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,000
Speaker 2: little piece of paper in front of them, and you

52
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,600
Speaker 2: had two other names as well. Could they look at

53
00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,440
Speaker 2: it and go, hey, that's my name. So recognizing their

54
00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,519
Speaker 2: name is really important. I do have a free checklist

55
00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,280
Speaker 2: as well, which has an extensive list of things that

56
00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,560
Speaker 2: parents can download and have a look at. So and

57
00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,040
Speaker 2: when I think about an advantage, let's compare the name.

58
00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,680
Speaker 2: So an essential would be recognizing their name, going hey,

59
00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,400
Speaker 2: that's my name. I know that an advantage could be

60
00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,840
Speaker 2: being able to write their name starting with a capital

61
00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,800
Speaker 2: letter and continuing with lowercase letters. In terms of for

62
00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,400
Speaker 2: parents what they can do to support their child, I

63
00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:33,400
Speaker 2: think about finding their child's missing skills, So working out

64
00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,840
Speaker 2: what it is that your child may need to work

65
00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,560
Speaker 2: on in the first year of school. It's less about

66
00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:41,720
Speaker 2: because they're learning to read, they're learning to write, It's

67
00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,080
Speaker 2: less about showing what they know in terms of written

68
00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,240
Speaker 2: form and being able to explain with their spoken word

69
00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,200
Speaker 2: about what they know. So being able to have a

70
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,760
Speaker 2: strong vocabulary, being able to speak in sentences and really

71
00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,920
Speaker 2: grow their knowledge bank about different topics is really important.

72
00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,280
Speaker 1: So, Zoe, I am listening to this very, very very

73
00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,040
Speaker 1: long list of all the different things that parents need

74
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:04,320
Speaker 1: to worry about to make sure the kids are ready

75
00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,800
Speaker 1: for school, and I'm sort of thinking we're making too

76
00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:11,000
Speaker 1: much of this? Is this too hard? Because my youngest

77
00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,000
Speaker 1: is now ten, she started school a few years ago,

78
00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:14,560
Speaker 1: and I reckon, if I got a list like that,

79
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,880
Speaker 1: I'd crack. I'd just say I'm not sending her she's

80
00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,680
Speaker 1: not ready. This feels overwhelming, And yet is this the

81
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,400
Speaker 1: expectation in schools now? That kids are going to show

82
00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,480
Speaker 1: up and be capable and confident of number one, recognizing

83
00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:30,400
Speaker 1: their name and nuther two being able to manage a

84
00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,080
Speaker 1: couple of tricky social situations and also being able to

85
00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,200
Speaker 1: I mean a lot of it sounds simple, right, be

86
00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:36,400
Speaker 1: able to go to the toil and be able to

87
00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,560
Speaker 1: dress and undress on your own, I get it. Much

88
00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,240
Speaker 1: of this should be able to be done, but a

89
00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,280
Speaker 1: lot of it feels like a lot, especially as more

90
00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,120
Speaker 1: and more parents are feeling forced to send their kids

91
00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,400
Speaker 1: to school younger and younger, which is clearly not developmentally

92
00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,360
Speaker 1: appropriate for them. I don't know. I mean, I hear

93
00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,480
Speaker 1: this list and I just feel overwhelmed. I feel burdened.

94
00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,600
Speaker 1: You're talking to parents every day literally who are getting

95
00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,839
Speaker 1: ready to send their kids to school. Are they responding

96
00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:02,800
Speaker 1: the same way? Are they just saying I think I'm

97
00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:03,520
Speaker 1: going to wait a year.

98
00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,240
Speaker 2: I think that a lot of parents are. They definitely

99
00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,840
Speaker 2: know they think, Okay, my child's born in July, I'm

100
00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,680
Speaker 2: going to wait another year until they can go. I

101
00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,320
Speaker 2: do think that you're right. It is overwhelming when you

102
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,080
Speaker 2: hear a long list in your joint thing. And that's

103
00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:19,920
Speaker 2: why I think, just break it down and go, what's

104
00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:21,080
Speaker 2: one thing I can work on.

105
00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,960
Speaker 1: Let me hit you with another question then, because if

106
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,800
Speaker 1: it is such a big list, did kids a generation

107
00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,800
Speaker 1: ago did they tick all those boxes? Have we up

108
00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,120
Speaker 1: the ante? Have we raised the stakes here? Are we

109
00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,160
Speaker 1: demanding more? Because I know that there's been an educational

110
00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,960
Speaker 1: pushdown in terms of we're expecting more and more of

111
00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,640
Speaker 1: younger and younger kids in terms of sitting still, being quiet,

112
00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,840
Speaker 1: learning stuff in the classroom. When you were talking about

113
00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,279
Speaker 1: a whole lot of academic stuff a few minutes ago,

114
00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,600
Speaker 1: years ago, I remember when one of my kids, I

115
00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,080
Speaker 1: can't remember which one it was now, maybe my third

116
00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,240
Speaker 1: or fourth one going back away here, maybe fifteen years now,

117
00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,600
Speaker 1: But in New South Wales, the expectation was that the

118
00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,640
Speaker 1: kids would submit themselves to a test before they began

119
00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,280
Speaker 1: their first year of school, like in the months leading

120
00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,359
Speaker 1: up to their first year of school. And as my

121
00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,360
Speaker 1: daughter was going through this test with her next year teacher,

122
00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,359
Speaker 1: I said, what, what's the purpose of this test? I mean,

123
00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,159
Speaker 1: there's a whole lot of academic content being covered, and

124
00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:16,440
Speaker 1: the teacher said, well, it's just so that we can

125
00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,200
Speaker 1: identify where the gaps are so that we know where

126
00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:19,960
Speaker 1: to pick up the teaching for next year. And I'm like,

127
00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,279
Speaker 1: she's going into her first year of primary school like

128
00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,200
Speaker 1: it's all gaps. Her whole life is a gap. I

129
00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,440
Speaker 1: don't know why while we're doing this. So anyway back

130
00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:30,880
Speaker 1: to my original question, are kids less competent as they

131
00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,120
Speaker 1: start school today than they were a generation ago or

132
00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:34,320
Speaker 1: ten twenty years ago.

133
00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,120
Speaker 2: I can only think about my own experience of me starting.

134
00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,040
Speaker 2: You know, we didn't have in Queensland prep when I

135
00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,800
Speaker 2: went to school. We started in grade one, and I

136
00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,320
Speaker 2: do feel like it's pushed a year earlier. What was

137
00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,440
Speaker 2: grade one you know in the nineties, Whiz is now prep.

138
00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,320
Speaker 2: So yes, I do think that there is that push earlier.

139
00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:56,520
Speaker 2: Is it a good thing? I don't think so.

140
00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,040
Speaker 1: No, no, no, I just feel like we're putting more pressure

141
00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,640
Speaker 1: on the kids. I'm a really big believer in keeping

142
00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,400
Speaker 1: the kids out of school for as long as you

143
00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,839
Speaker 1: possibly can until it becomes a legal requirement. You stretch

144
00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:08,000
Speaker 1: it out as far as you can so they can

145
00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,600
Speaker 1: just enjoy their childhood for as long as they can.

146
00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:19,840
Speaker 1: Of course, there are financial realities and other challenges. I

147
00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:21,880
Speaker 1: got a couple other questions for you around this, Zoe,

148
00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,160
Speaker 1: and the preparation for starting school for any families just

149
00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,880
Speaker 1: kicking it off next year. What a parents seem to

150
00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:32,920
Speaker 1: struggle with the most. I mean, I'm obviously as a

151
00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,480
Speaker 1: parent struggling with the enormity of the list and saying

152
00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,240
Speaker 1: just slow it down and let them develop normally and

153
00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,960
Speaker 1: healthy and don't rush this stuff. But outside of stress

154
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,760
Speaker 1: around development, what else do parents worry about when it

155
00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,400
Speaker 1: comes to supporting their child with that entry to school.

156
00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:49,560
Speaker 2: Part of the reason I started my business was I

157
00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,400
Speaker 2: saw parents struggle with two main things, the transition to

158
00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,760
Speaker 2: school and how different that was from their pre school

159
00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:59,160
Speaker 2: in kindergarten, and then also supporting their beginning reader, supporting

160
00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,000
Speaker 2: their child learning to read. I think that there's this

161
00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,600
Speaker 2: myth that learning to read is a natural skill, when

162
00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:04,720
Speaker 2: in fact it just isn't.

163
00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,280
Speaker 1: So, Zoe, let's talk about those two things. First of all,

164
00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,840
Speaker 1: the transition to school. When you say that that's a struggle,

165
00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,000
Speaker 1: do you mean the extra hours where the child's out

166
00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,400
Speaker 1: of the home, The child comes home tired, parents have

167
00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,000
Speaker 1: got to deal with all of the logistics around drop

168
00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,760
Speaker 1: off and pickups and just a shift in the routine

169
00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:21,760
Speaker 1: or is it something else that you're highlighting here.

170
00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,560
Speaker 2: I think it's the shift in the routine. I think

171
00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,120
Speaker 2: it's also the shift for the child in terms of

172
00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,280
Speaker 2: the rhythm of the day at school. You know, it

173
00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,719
Speaker 2: is not only could be longer for their child, but

174
00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:38,440
Speaker 2: also there's a more academic aspect. There's you know, sitting

175
00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,200
Speaker 2: and there's this expectation that everyone's doing the same thing

176
00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,480
Speaker 2: at the same time. In the same place, whereas at

177
00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,240
Speaker 2: preschool they could be doing a range of five different activities.

178
00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,240
Speaker 2: There's more choice, there's more flexibility, and I think that

179
00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:55,120
Speaker 2: that's what children find hard and also the exhaustion of

180
00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:55,520
Speaker 2: the day.

181
00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's standardized model. While it obviously has some efficiency benefits,

182
00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,120
Speaker 1: it definitely can make things a little bit harder for kids.

183
00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,080
Speaker 1: You've mentioned reading. This is something that I've emphasized time

184
00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,160
Speaker 1: and time again on the podcast and am I writing

185
00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,480
Speaker 1: and so on. Nothing predicts academic outcomes and ultimately even

186
00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:14,679
Speaker 1: being able to be successful in life as much as

187
00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,400
Speaker 1: loving reading. What are your top tips for parents who

188
00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,440
Speaker 1: want their kids to be able to step into that

189
00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,760
Speaker 1: first year of school and figure out reading. As you said,

190
00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,120
Speaker 1: it's not a it's not something that we're born with

191
00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,240
Speaker 1: the capacity to do. It really is something that's got

192
00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:29,720
Speaker 1: to be learned. What have you found is the most

193
00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:30,280
Speaker 1: helpful here.

194
00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,679
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that there's this myth that reading is natural,

195
00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,880
Speaker 2: when in fact, research has said that only five percent

196
00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,920
Speaker 2: of children learn to read effortlessly. Most children will need

197
00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,800
Speaker 2: direct instruction and a lot of repetition and learning playful

198
00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,360
Speaker 2: ways to learn how to read and really multisensory ways.

199
00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,240
Speaker 2: I think that laying that strong foundation. So in terms

200
00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,640
Speaker 2: of pre reading skills, pre reading mean before we start reading,

201
00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,880
Speaker 2: expanding their vocabulary, being able to actually hear the sounds

202
00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,520
Speaker 2: they hear in words. That's the fancy word for that

203
00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,040
Speaker 2: is phonological awareness.

204
00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,240
Speaker 1: My experience was that the teachers would always hand out

205
00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,960
Speaker 1: various ways that that could be done, Like the school

206
00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,120
Speaker 1: really does support families in doing those sorts of things,

207
00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:12,440
Speaker 1: don't they. I mean usually.

208
00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:14,920
Speaker 2: I think it's one of the struggles that parents face

209
00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,040
Speaker 2: is because parents, you know, we think, okay, well I'm

210
00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:19,480
Speaker 2: just going to send my child to God, they're going

211
00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,400
Speaker 2: to learn to read. But in fact, because children need

212
00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:28,280
Speaker 2: so much repetition, parents do need to support their children

213
00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,840
Speaker 2: with learning to read. I'll get home little readers, little

214
00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,720
Speaker 2: books to read, maybe some little sounds, sounds, alphabet sounds

215
00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,240
Speaker 2: to learn as well, and maybe some even some tricky

216
00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,800
Speaker 2: words to learn as well. And it can be overwhelming

217
00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,000
Speaker 2: for parents. They don't know where to start, they're confused,

218
00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,040
Speaker 2: they don't know how to teach their child how to read.

219
00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,520
Speaker 2: So I think that that can be a struggle for them.

220
00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,760
Speaker 2: I think that short bursts, you know, think a few minutes,

221
00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,880
Speaker 2: five minutes less than that. Think fast, bring the energy,

222
00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:59,000
Speaker 2: bring the enthusiasm, and just yet start with those phonological

223
00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,520
Speaker 2: awareness activities. I do have some resources.

224
00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,640
Speaker 1: Around that, Zoe, Our time is almost up. This is

225
00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,080
Speaker 1: the podcast for the time poor parent who just wants

226
00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:11,199
Speaker 1: answers now as we step into holidays and get ready

227
00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:14,640
Speaker 1: for school kicking off again next year. Well, a lot

228
00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:15,960
Speaker 1: of parents are saying I don't even want to think

229
00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:17,760
Speaker 1: about school next year. But for those whose kids are

230
00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,080
Speaker 1: about to start, this is a really big deal. What

231
00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,440
Speaker 1: are your top three tips to make these holidays work

232
00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,360
Speaker 1: and have everything in place and ready to go in

233
00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:26,360
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five?

234
00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:31,040
Speaker 2: Top three tips. Make a playdate with another family of

235
00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,600
Speaker 2: somebody that you know that will be in your child's

236
00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,280
Speaker 2: class or your school, you know, sometimes in January, just

237
00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:39,720
Speaker 2: to get that familiar face so that when they start

238
00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,679
Speaker 2: school they go, I feel like I belong here, I

239
00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:42,559
Speaker 2: know that person.

240
00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:44,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, great anxiety reductions. Love it.

241
00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,800
Speaker 2: Yes, you know, try on their school uniform, you know,

242
00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,040
Speaker 2: get into that mode of maybe I'm going to be

243
00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,360
Speaker 2: wearing something different, what do my shoes feel like? What

244
00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,240
Speaker 2: do my belongings look like? As well?

245
00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,800
Speaker 1: And the kids usually pretty excited about that let's be honest.

246
00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. I mean send three things. They sometimes

247
00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,760
Speaker 2: feel a bit front, bit scratchy, so it's always good

248
00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,160
Speaker 2: to have a try on. And then my last one

249
00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,320
Speaker 2: would just be you know, this is a big change

250
00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:10,439
Speaker 2: for you and your child. Just go gently enjoy time

251
00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:15,080
Speaker 2: with each other over the holidays, and just know that

252
00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:17,720
Speaker 2: the first six weeks it's like the newborn phase all

253
00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,840
Speaker 2: over again. You know, everyone's just got big emotions, new

254
00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,720
Speaker 2: routines settling in, and everyone's getting to know one another.

255
00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,800
Speaker 2: Feature your child, your parent, you as a parent. Just

256
00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,000
Speaker 2: be kind to yourself and just let things settle down,

257
00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:31,640
Speaker 2: settle in.

258
00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,720
Speaker 1: Zoe really appreciate the conversation. If people want to find

259
00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,120
Speaker 1: out more about the services that you offer and the

260
00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,480
Speaker 1: way that what you've shared can support them, You've mentioned

261
00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,679
Speaker 1: that there's some stuff online that can be useful. Where

262
00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:43,800
Speaker 1: should they go? What should they do?

263
00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,920
Speaker 2: Yes? Follow me on Instagram. I'm at at edzir kate

264
00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,200
Speaker 2: E d z O C A T E. And I

265
00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:57,120
Speaker 2: also have a website www. Dot zokate dot com dot au.

266
00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:58,959
Speaker 1: We'll look to those in the show notes as well.

267
00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,560
Speaker 1: Zoe really appreciate your time time. Thank you for sharing

268
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,640
Speaker 1: some insights for nervous parents who are gearing up for

269
00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:07,520
Speaker 1: the last Christmas holidays before the kiddos go to school.

270
00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,040
Speaker 1: It's so exciting, so anxiety introducing, it's all of the things.

271
00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,400
Speaker 1: The Happy Families podcast is produced by Justin Ruland from

272
00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,120
Speaker 1: Bridge Media. If you'd like more info about what Zoe

273
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:18,880
Speaker 1: spoke about, like I said, check the show notes. We

274
00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:23,400
Speaker 1: will link to educate and Zoe's resources there. And if

275
00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:25,960
Speaker 1: you'd like to know more about making your family happier,

276
00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,480
Speaker 1: you'll find the details at happy families dot com dot au.