Remember... Kindergarten will begin on August 28th! This is such a fun and exciting time for these little ones! And their moms and dads, too! Whether it's your first or your last, it can sometimes come with a lot of anxiety. Here are a few tips on helping your child transition into kindergarten:
1. Downplay the Milestone: Ratcheting up the expectations of the first day of kindergarten is likely to backfire if your child already has anxiety about the first day of school. Instead, compare it to something that the child is already familiar to, like preschool or a music class.
2. Read a Book Together about starting school: Reading together is always an enjoyable thing for children. If you can find a book that talks about another child going to school the first day and the fears they face, your child may find it comforting to know that they are not the only ones that have a fear of this first day. For a list of fun books to read with your child about starting school, go to
http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/school/tp/startingschool.htm.
3. Minimize your own anxiety: Just as it's normal for children to feel anxiety about the first day, it is also normal for parents to feel that same way. And it's absolutely normal to feel anxiety when you see your child being upset. It's understandable to feel frustration when you see other children skip into class after giving mom a kiss goodbye while your child is still clinging to your legs. But it is important to remember that your child WILL make the transition to kindergarten. It may take longer than some, but it will happen. The more understanding and patient you are, the easier it will be.
4. Don't stay too long! Assure your child you will be coming back for them and say a quick goodbye. Lingering will only make it more difficult for your child to say goodbye, and they will learn that if they cry harder, mom or dad stays longer. As heartwrenching as it may be, walk away. Chances are, your child will be happily playing shortly after you are out of sight!
5. Have faith in the teachers
. Your child will hardly be the only one in the classroom who experiences separation anxiety, nor will he be the first one the teachers have had to comfort after mom, dad, or a caregiver are gone. Experienced teachers will be ready with morning routines, songs, games, and other fun activities to get your child into the swing of things while she adjusts to her new surroundings. Our Kindergarten team is fantastic! They are all loving a capable of helping our children adjust and enjoy their new surrounding. Believe me, your child will be in great hands!
6. Send along a comfort object: My third child had such separation anxiety, I thought we would never live through it! Finally, I got the idea to buy her a small bracelet that had a little charm that said MOM on it. I gave it to her and told her she could carry me with her all day. And that every time she looked at her bracelet, she could know that I was thinking of her and how big she was being. She loved it! Every morning I had to kiss the MOM charm before she would go, so she could snuggle the charm and get a kiss from me during the day. Now, it didn't work every day... we still struggled through some, but the key is, it got easier.
7. Don't put a time limit on how long it should take. All children adjust differently. Before you know it, your reluctant kindergartener will look forward to seeing his friends at school and participating in the activities and games in class. Whether your child's kindergarten anxiety lasts a few days or a few months, it will be a phase she will go through as she grows into a confident grade-schooler
