Primary school adaptation problems of children: Parental experiences and practices

Abstract

In this study, according to the opinions of the parents whose children have adaptation problems when starting the first grade of primary school; identifying the sources of adaptation problems, the measures taken by parents and the practices they do was aimed. In the study, a semi-structured interview form was applied to 22 parents whose children had adaptation problems while starting primary school in Aşkale, Erzurum. The obtained findings were analyzed by content analysis method. According to the findings obtained, parents stated that they faced social, physical and academic changes with their children starting school, they developed negative attitudes to school and displayed negative behavior in home. Parents stated that they increased their interest towards their children and rewarded them; some parents also stated that they resorted to punishment and violence to solve the children’s adjustment problems. Parents gave many advices to other parents whose children will start to primary school.