All moms know it will happen eventually, the impending first day of school. We don't realize how fast it arrives until one day it sneaks up on you and you're sending your little one off on an adventure that will last 12 years or more. There are a lot of questions and concerns moms and children will have to address when this time comes and I am aiming to help ease the transition.
You may have a preschooler who will be going to school in the upcoming year or the year after. It's never too early to know what kind of things you need to teach your child so he or she will be prepared. It's true that if your child is going to a daycare or preschool that he or she will learn a lot of the skills s/he will need for kindergarten, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't work on things at home. It's a good idea to get your child used to the idea of learning at home too to understand learning is a fun thing and also to get used to the idea of studying and doing homework. Some things outside of being able to count, recite the alphabet, and recognize their name are these:
- Knows and uses manners
- Can adjust to new environments with a reasonable amount of ease
- Can dress his/herself
- Runs, jumps, bounces a ball
- Can speak in sentences
- Is able to share
The next question a lot of moms have is what kinds of materials to supply their kids with. Once again, you can contact your school district. It is pretty common for the school to send out a checklist during the summer or even on the first day of school. However, it's not a bad idea to call and get an early start. Sometimes, though, it varies from teacher to teacher and the district won't be able to give you the entire list.
Now for the harder part of preparing for the big day - the questions. Your child may be filled with excitement or anxiety or a mixture of the two, but either way you know you're going to have a lot of questions to answer. I found an amazing link to today.com where Ruth A. peters, a clinical psychologist, answers some of the tough questions your tyke may ask. You can find that page here. I also stumbled upon this awesome page full of helpful pointers for preparing your little one mentally from Dr. Laura Markham. This is a fun video for your small one and you to watch together of kids getting ready for their first day and then answering questions about it. It may get your child more pumped up for their first day and you'll get a little giggle out of it as well.
Special Needs:
If your child has special needs, you already know your checklist for readiness may look a little different. In this day and age, most special needs children are involved with agencies before starting school. It's important to get on-track with these agencies about what is expected for school and how to meet that goal and what kind of evaluations your child should have if any. You can begin planning kindergarten entrance and asking these questions a year before hand. As I poked around the web, I noticed each state has its own guide for parents with special needs children preparing for kindergarten. If you don't have one already, a quick search may help you out. Your child's IEP team will be especially helpful at this time.
For Mom:
It's important to take a breath and remember you will get through this and so will your little one. It is the beginning of a new chapter in both your lives. Be happy and know that your child will need you just as much in the upcoming years as he/she always has, just in a different form. And REMEMBER to charge those camera batteries and to have some tissues ready.
Have a fun first-day-of-school story or helpful tips? Share them, please!
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