The primary school years are rougher than we think
Childcare needs don’t necessarily go down when a child goes to primary school. In some ways, they may increase.
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Parents’ presence is still necessary even after a child enters primary school, says the writer.
PHOTO: ST FILE
June Yong
The year my eldest child entered primary school, I remember heaving a sigh of relief. She was more independent now, and the pre-school years of packing spare clothes, getting her ready for school and possibly needing to drop everything and stay with her if she fell sick were over, I thought.
But before long, new challenges set in. When she came crying to me one day because one of her best friends had started to leave her out of the group, I spent hours listening to her, comforting her and helping her make sense of her feelings.
