PREPARING FOR SCHOOL

Preschool and Day Out programs are often children’s first experience away from mom or dad. It can be scary for children and for parents. On the other hand, some children are ready and don’t even give parents a second glance. Either way, here are eight ways you can help prepare your child:

Meet the teacher: If possible, take your child to a Meet the Teacher program or Open House and let her play on the playground before school starts.

Independent skills: If your child is staying all day, ask her to help you prepare her lunch. She can stand next to you on a stool while you give her choices such as grapes or raisins, Grape or Strawberry Jello, and orange or apple juice. That way, she’ll feel like she has some control and will also begin to understand what is really happening that day.

Focus on your child: Make the whole experience as fun as possible. Give your child your full attention on the way to school. Phone calls can wait. Tell her stories about when you were a little girl and how much you liked school. Sing songs. Try a spin-off version of "If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands". Make it, "If you’re excited to go to school, clap your hands!" Be excited, smile a lot, and be happy for her.

Practice separation: Leave your child with others for short lengths of time so that they know you will return.

Backpack and lunchbox: Before school starts, help her be excited about starting school by empowering her to pick out a backpack. If she is staying all day, she’ll need a lunchbox. Keep in mind everything you have to fit in these items. In her backpack she may need pulls-ups, a special blankie or stuffed animal, pacifier, crib sheet and small pillow. You may need to put an ice pack in her lunchbox. Fill it with food you know she already likes.

Play dates: Try to enroll her in a class where she already knows some of the other children. If that’s not possible, ask if you can have the class list before your child starts school. You could offer to make your email available to the other parents so that you can arrange a play date before school begins. Perhaps several play dates can be arranged or you will meet someone who would like to exchange play time. Don’t be shy. The children will benefit from seeing a friendly face the first day of class.

Communicate: Tell her it is okay to be afraid, but that there are always adults to help her and she can ask for help anytime. Promise her that you will pick her up in a few hours or after a certain activity at school – like when the teacher sings a certain song or reads the last book of the day.

Don’t linger: When it’s time for drop-off, keep your goodbyes short, sweet and simple. Give her a quick hug, tell her how much you love her, and leave her in the hands of the capable teacher. Even if she’s crying hysterically, she will likely only cry for a few minutes once you’re out of sight. But if you linger, the crying will probably last longer.