Here Are a Few Ways You Can Help Your Child Be Prepared!
While most of you are probably gearing up and getting ready for cookouts and long days of playing outside with your little one, there is one thing I just can’t get off my mind: school. Call me crazy for thinking about school starting while summer just started, but there are actually things you should start preparing your child for now if he is about to start pre-k. Here are a few things you can do to help with getting ready for school!
1. Independence
For the most part, a lot of schools have pre-k teachers that will help kids with reminding them of the basics. They will help your child to use the bathroom. And they will help with things like putting on and taking off coats, mittens and shoes. Your child’s teacher will probably also help with other kinds of basic things that you may not think of right off the bat, such as eating alone or taking naps and waking up. However, it doesn’t hurt to practice these things with your child at home before you send him off to school.
It’s especially helpful when you get teachers like we did. My son’s teacher expected 4 and 5 years old children to do everything on their own. She had taught older kids for the past 10 years, so when a pre-k finally dared to ask to go to the restroom, she would just tell him to first finish his exercise. He would then forget about it until he could not hold it anymore….
2. Manners and etiquette
It also never hurts to practice saying please and thank you around the house before entering pre-k. Of course, your child doesn’t need to know a dessert fork from a soup spoon, but it is really smart to let him know the importance of flushing a toilet and washing his hands after using one. Especially when we know that there are a lot more germs in a public area than at home!
Please – let your child know that it is okay to ask for help! And if he needs to use the restroom outside of the normal potty break, he is allowed to ask if he can go. Many kids don’t realize that potty breaks aren’t set in stone when it comes to their needs. This can take away some of the anxiety about having to go, and could cut back on any accidents he may have.
A little trick that worked for mine is to teach him to do a security wee-wee at each break or at least morning and lunch breaks. If he tells you he does not feel like going, just tell him it is a security one even if the need is not there, at least at the beginning. Then little by little they’ll become more responsible.
3. Separation anxiety
Children who don’t spend a lot of time away from their parents may feel a little anxious about leaving them for the first time. School is a new place with a lot of new faces, and can make your kiddo nervous being out of their comfort zone.
If this sounds like your child, ask to set up a meet and greet with the teacher before school starts so that when the big day comes, he can feel a little more secure. You can also prepare him for time spent away from you by letting him hang out with a family friend a couple times before school starts.
Another big one might be if your child’s school requires a school bus ride to and from pre-k. Check and see if you can take your child on a practice ride on the school bus. If not, take him on a public transportation ride. School buses can be scary to young children because they’re big, and noisy, and full of several other kids who they may have never seen before.
4. Basic information
Practice reciting some basic information with your child like, their name, your name, your home address and your phone number. These are the very first things your child will learn how to read and write. Not only will it help them to become familiarized with the information, but it can be seriously handy in situations where they might need to call home if they become sick, or if they get lost. Most of the time, that just means getting lost within their school. But this is identifying information that staff can use to redirect your child to the right place.
5. Following directions
Let your child know that it is important for them to follow directions when they are with their teacher at school. Practice this with your child by giving him one or two-step directions, and allowing them to see an outcome.
This is crucial to know before starting school because the teacher will be giving many directions throughout the day. For example, the teacher may tell your child to sit and remain seated, to stand in a line, or to not draw on a piece of paper that was given to him. For a child who has a hard time following directions, this practice can help prepare them for this environment.
6. Social skills
There will be many other kids in your child’s class. Help your child by giving him opportunities to share his toys, and guide him in managing his emotions when he doesn’t get his way. Polishing these skills before pre-k can help him to make friends easier. And let him know that tattling isn’t necessary unless it is serious.
Take your child to the playground frequently over the summer to play with other kids, or schedule a couple playdates so that you can see how he interacts with other children.
Starting school can be a very emotional time for you and your little one. Hopefully practicing these things can help ease some of the stress for your child. He will be ready to go in no time!
Now, whether or not you’re ready for him to go is a much different story! They always say it’s much harder on the parent than on the kid! And it was my case…
Please feel free to tell me about you in the comment section.
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