appointments not to be missed before the start of the school year

The end of the summer holidays is fast approaching and the start of the school year is about to knock on the door. After two months of well-deserved vacation, French pupils from kindergarten to high school will return to school next Thursday.

While many school children are happy to be reunited with their classmates, for their parents, this period can be a real source of stress. Indeed, between the purchase of school supplies, registrations for various extracurricular activities and the replacement of clothes that have become too small, all while keeping themselves informed of new measures concerning their children, parents don’t know where to turn. But don’t worry, Aufeminin has provided you with a complete checklist of appointments not to be forgotten before the start of the school year.

Make an appointment with the pediatrician

Before the fateful date of the start of the school year, it is important to take stock of the vaccination of children. Your doctor will then check if your child’s vaccinations are up to date. Indeed, in France, a certain number of vaccines are compulsory: diphtheria, tetanus or poliomyelitis, others are strongly recommended such as vaccines against whooping cough and against hepatitis B.

At the start of the school year, your child will also have the possibility of choosing one or more extra-curricular activities. And for the most part, registration is done only under presentation of a medical certificateissued by your doctor or pediatrician.

During this check-up, your doctor may also check your child’s weight by calculating their body mass index (BMI). From primary school, the weight of the school bag is felt in the back, your doctor will then check your child’s spine, the position of the pelvis and the length of his legs. These checks are also essential if your child has had a growth spurt during the holidays.

Make an appointment with the dentist

Before the start of the school year, it is important to carry out a check-up with your dentist. Remember to make an appointment in advance because places are often rare. The purpose of this visit is to check for cavitiesbut also the disposition of the teeth in view of a possible orthodontic treatment. Even if your child is still in the baby teeth stage, the importance of good oral hygiene must be instilled in him very early on.
Indeed, cavities can compromise the health of permanent teeth, and are also the cause of a number of infections.

Make an appointment with the ophthalmologist

At school, the eyes of the child are put to the test, between learning to read and write, it is important to control his sight. As a general rule, 4 problems recur regularly: myopia (the child sees badly from afar), astigmatism (he sees shapes badly), color blindness (he confuses colors) and farsightedness (he sees badly up close ).

If your child already wears glasses to correct a vision problem, an appointment with a specialist is essential before each start of the school year. Your doctor will also make sure to check your child’s visual acuity using the reading test. Report to him the slightest anomaly, eyes that sting, burn, vision that blurs.

Make an appointment with the hairdresser

During the summer, your child has taken advantage of the sun, the swimming pool or even the sea. But between the UV rays, the salt and the chlorine, your child’s hair has suffered and a little haircut will do them the greatest good. It is also an opportunity to check that your child has not caught lice during the holidays and to get rid of it if this is the case. It would be a shame to contaminate the whole school. And with this new haircut your child will be the prettiest in the class photo.

Enroll your child in extracurricular activities

Registrations for activities must be made before each school year so that the child can participate in activities from September. As a rule, they are open from the end of June. To register your children for extracurricular activities, you must approach your town hall or the Child’s Time Department (DTE). A registration file will be given to you. Only parents, guardians or persons exercising parental authority can take this step. Since 2014, on average 66% of municipalities have opted for free extracurricular activities. In other cases, a financial contribution will be requested. The amount depends on your family quotient or your income.

Enroll your child in extra-curricular activities

The practice of an extracurricular activity can be decisive in the development of a child. Whether sporting or cultural, these activities take place outside school hours and are counted in very large numbers: football, dance, horse riding, painting or even singing. One thing is certain, there is something for everyone! To discover the possibilities around your home, ask your town hall.

Register your child for the canteen

Every year, in France, from kindergarten to high school, two out of three children on average eat in the canteen at least once a week. That is a total of more than 7 million children. As a rule, canteen price calculations are made according to the family quotient of each household. Thus the price will take into account the income and expenses of the family. Registration for the canteen is done either directly with the school director or with the school fund.

Take out school insurance for your child

School insurance is not compulsory for your child’s enrollment in school. But it becomes so when your child has to participate in optional activities organized by his school, if he eats in the canteen or if he participates extracurricular activities. To take out school insurance, you can contact an insurance company, which offers this type of contract for children, or your bank by adding an option to your home insurance.

Since May 2021, Pauline has joined the Aufeminin team. A journalism student, Pauline is currently on a work-study program and writes for the Aufeminin and Parole de Mamans websites. Curious and passionate, she…