It may seem like a far away reality, but you children will all eventually reach school age and be going off to kindergarten every day. You may be dreading the day or counting down to it, but however you approach it you need to be prepared. Kindergarten is a big change for kids who are either accustomed to staying at home with mom or dad or going to daycare. Either way, it’s an adjustment, but perhaps more so for those who did not attend daycare. Here are some things to do to prepare your children for kindergarten.
Make sure your kids can get themselves dressed for outdoor play
This may not seem like an important thing for kids to learn for school, but ask any teacher and they will tell you that kids who can put their own hats, mitts, and boots on are what they want to see! Learning how to count to 100 and do the ABCs in French and English, these things come naturally in time. If you really want to impress the teacher, be certain your kids can dress themselves with minimal assistance.
Learn how to deal with separation anxiety
This will be more for those children who did not attend daycare and who are accustomed to spending lots of time with mom or dad. It can be difficult for a child to leave mom or dad for the first few days (or weeks) of kindergarten, so it’s important to start the training as early as possible ahead of time. Explain to them what a normal school day will look like with drop off and pick up. It’s important to stress to them that you will always be there to pick them up. Eventually they will get the hang of it!
Make your child aware of food allergies
Although schools and teachers do an incredible job of monitoring food brought into the school and keeping track of allergies, there is always room for something to slip through the cracks. Educate your child on their own food allergies and the importance of allergies other kids may have. This will be important when your kids want to share food with other kids. They should be made aware of the possible dangers of sharing food and cautioned only to eat what their families pack for them.
Kindergarten marks the beginning of a long school journey for your children. It’s both exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time, but with some planning and good pep talks, school will become something your child can look forward to every day.