Adjusting to a New School Routine

My son has been in a small preschool program and kindergarten for the past three years. He's only been in first grade at the public school in our neighborhood for a month and is very unhappy. He does not know anyone, dislikes the bus and gets tired because the school day is much longer. How can we help him be happier? He seems to be working at a higher level than the other children. Could it be that he is just bored and finds the school day too long? -- Unhappy Child
Answer: Your son has been in the same environment for three years. It is to be expected that this new school will be a big adjustment for him. You can definitely do some things that should improve the situation right away. Begin by helping him enjoy his ride to school in order to start his day off happily. Find an older neighborhood child who will sit with him for a few weeks on the ride to make him feel more at home. Also, talk to the bus driver or write him/her a note about your son's apprehension. Just a friendly "hi" from the driver could be helpful.
Next, talk to the teacher about how unhappy your child is. There are so many things that the teacher can do to help him begin to make friends in the classroom. Be sure to ask for the names of fellow first-graders who live close to you so you can invite these children over for play dates. The better your child knows a few children in the classroom, the more comfortable he will be.
The school day is longer, so it's no surprise that your child gets tired. Plus, he has to stay on task far more than in kindergarten and preschool. He will adjust. The best thing you can do is make sure that he gets some vigorous activity after school and sufficient sleep at night.
You will definitely be making a big mistake if you blame your son's unhappiness on the lack of challenge in the curriculum. The teacher has to learn more about where each child is academically before the children can be given work that takes into account their varied abilities.