Tips for Parents at the Start of the School Year

With the start of the new school year, many parents ask the same question: what should I do to follow my child properly? The direct answer is that caring for children does not end with enrolling them in school and paying the fees; that is where it begins. A parent is responsible for preparing the child emotionally, organising the daily routine, following academic progress and behaviour, knowing the child's friends, and protecting the child on the way to and from school and in the digital world where children spend long hours. This responsibility is not only a moral duty; it is an obligation protected by the legislation of the United Arab Emirates, foremost the "Wadeema" Child Rights Law, which made the best interest of the child the first standard in every decision concerning them. In this blog, AWADH ALMHEIRI LAW FIRM AND LEGAL CONSULTATIONS in Dubai offers practical advice for parents and students alike, covering study, behaviour and the choice of friends.

How should a parent prepare for the new school year?

Real preparation begins at least a week before the first school day. Speak to your child about the new year positively, listen to their worries without dismissing or magnifying them, return them gradually to school sleeping and waking hours, and involve them in preparing their bag and supplies so they feel responsible. Get to know the teachers and the school's communication channels from day one, so that your first contact with the school is not prompted by a problem.

Make sure you also know the behavioural policy applied in your child's school, what the school treats as a violation, and the procedures followed when one occurs. Many problems that reach the stage of a formal complaint could have been resolved early had the parent known the rules and followed the child's progress from the outset.

A parent's responsibility does not stop at the school gate

The UAE legislator has been keen to provide comprehensive protection for children. Under the "Wadeema" Child Rights Law, the description of a child extends to anyone who has not reached eighteen years of age, and whoever undertakes their care carries duties relating to education, health and protection from anything that endangers their safety or morals. Negligence in care, or leaving a child in a situation that exposes them to danger, is not merely a mistaken parenting choice; it may entail legal responsibility.

In practice, what protects a child most is the parent's presence in the details of the day: where they go after school, who they sit with, what they watch, and how they spend their time and pocket money. This calm, continuous presence matters far more than strict monitoring that appears suddenly after a problem has occurred.

Preparing your child emotionally and setting the daily routine

A child who sleeps early and wakes rested learns better, manages their emotions better, and is less likely to fall into behavioural problems in class. Adjust sleeping hours a few days before school begins, keep electronic devices out of the bedroom at night, and fix a daily time for study and another for rest and play, because a child needs both.

Have a short daily conversation with your child about their day: what they liked, what upset them, and who sat with them. This simple dialogue is the first thing that alerts you to any change in behaviour or company, and it is also what makes your child turn to you first when a problem arises, rather than to someone else.

Children's safety on the way to and from school

The busiest hours on the roads are those of travelling to and from schools, which makes compliance all the more necessary. Teach your child to cross only at designated pedestrian crossings, to wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before boarding or alighting, and never to cross in front of or behind the bus. If you drive your child yourself, comply with the speed limits around schools, leave a sufficient safety distance, give priority to pedestrians, avoid distraction by your phone, and use the designated drop-off areas without double parking, which puts children at risk.

Never leave a young child alone inside a vehicle, however short the time, do not allow them to sit in the front seat before the permitted age, and make sure to install a child seat suited to their age and weight and to fasten seat belts for all passengers.

Monitoring the phone and the internet: protecting your child online

Many problems that begin inside school now move to chat groups and social media accounts, and may turn from an argument between students into cyberbullying, insult, threat or the publication of images without consent — acts criminalised by law in the UAE, and young age does not always exempt from them. Explain to your child, simply, that what they write on their phone is not a game, and that a written word remains and can be proven.

Agree on clear rules: no accepting friend requests from strangers, no sharing personal data, family photos or location, no joining abusive discussions or groups, and telling you immediately if they face harassment or blackmail, without fear of punishment. A child who fears the parents' reaction is the one who hides the problem until it grows.

Advice for students: the academic side

Academic success is not made by intelligence alone, but by consistency. Start from the first day and do not postpone: material that accumulates over a week takes a month to make up. Write your assignments and exam dates in one fixed place, study for a short regular period every day rather than long hours just before the exam, and keep your study space tidy and away from your phone.

Ask your teacher when you do not understand; a question is not weakness, it is the shortest route to understanding. Attend regularly and do not be absent without a valid excuse, as repeated absence is the first step towards academic decline and weak discipline.

Advice for students: behaviour inside school

School is a second home, and respecting your teacher, your classmates and the school staff is part of your character, not merely a school rule. Avoid mocking anyone for their appearance, accent or academic level; what looks like a joke to you may be painful bullying to someone else, and bullying is unacceptable both educationally and legally.

If a dispute occurs, do not respond with violence or hurtful words; inform the teacher or the social worker immediately. Reporting is not tale-telling, it is protection for you and for others. Look after school property and your classmates' belongings, because damaging or taking what is not yours creates responsibility for you and for your family.

How should a student choose friends?

A friend's influence is greater than parents often imagine. Choose someone who encourages you to study and to comply with the rules, someone whose manners put you at ease, and someone who never asks you to hide anything from your family. Stay away from anyone who pushes you towards absence, smoking, mocking others or breaking the rules, because whoever drags you into a mistake today will not stand beside you when you are held accountable tomorrow.

Here the parent has a delicate role: know your child's friends by name, welcome them into your home, and ask about them without interrogation or accusation. If you see company that harms your child, do not confront them with a straightforward ban alone; discuss the behaviour itself and its effect on them, and fill their time with an alternative they enjoy, whether sporting or voluntary, because idleness is the first gateway to bad company.

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