When my son started preschool several years ago, he was in for a big adjustment. Up to that point, he had stayed home with his baby sister and me. Suddenly, he was plopped into a new environment, with a new person in charge, and lots of children all vying for the teacher’s attention. The tears that followed that day told me one thing: I had not properly prepared my son for preschool.
By the time my second and third children came along, I knew how to prepare them for the experience, and it was smooth sailing.
Preschool is a wonderful time for growth in a young child’s life. If the child is properly prepared, it can be an enjoyable experience. Here are a few tips to help your child ease into the routine.
• Talk it up. Weeks before preschool begins, start preparing your child by using positive and encouraging words. If you drive by the building where your child’s school will be say, “Oh, look! There’s your new school. You are going to have so much fun there!” Tell your child that he is growing up and this means he gets to spend more time learning and playing with other children his age. If you, as a parent, are ambivalent about your child going, choose your words carefully. Even from a young age, children can pick up on what their parents are and are not saying!
• Visit the school. Several weeks before school begins, take your child to the preschool facility so he can familiarize himself with his new surroundings. Go as many times as your child needs to in order to feel comfortable. If you know which classroom your child will be in, visit it. If possible, let him meet the teacher and play with some of the toys in the room. Before leaving, take him to the playground, and let him spend a few minutes swinging, going down the slide and sifting sand in the sandbox.
• Invite others to play. If, up until this point, your child has had little interaction with those his own age, invite several children over to your house to play. It doesn’t have to be a day-long event; one or two hours is a sufficient amount of time for children to begin learning skills such as toy sharing and peer politeness. A general rule of thumb is this: schedule a time when the children will be well-rested — early morning or after nap time. Also, plan a few activities, but allow the children some free play time. You might also include a snack for those hungry tummies.
• Introduce school materials. Long before formal education begins, your child should become familiar with books, puzzles, games, crayons, scissors, glue and clay. To ease into a structured environment, set aside time each day for you and your child to work on puzzles together, play games, color, cut and glue various items and mold things out of clay. Start with just a few minutes each day and gradually increase the amount of time you spend doing it. While you are participating in an activity together, tell your child that this is just one of many fun things he will be doing in preschool. Be alert for signs that your child is getting bored with a given activity, and stop before he gets too restless.
• Read all about it. One of the best ways to prepare your child for preschool is to read juvenile materials about first-day jitters. Library shelves and bookstores are stacked high with stories of children and/or animals that were afraid to go to school. Through books like these, your child will learn that he isn’t the only one with fears and worries about attending school. Most importantly, he will be able to see the characters to the end of the story where they meet new friends, have lots of fun and learn that their fears and worries were in vain.
• Establish a routine. If you haven’t already, be sure your child has a daily routine. While it need not be as rigid as a day of preschool, structured play time in the morning, story time after lunch, and outdoor play at the same time every day will help your child establish a routine. The key here is consistency.
• Go shopping. Nothing builds excitement quicker than taking your child out to buy a new lunchbox, backpack, school clothes or other needed school items. Make a day of it by first stopping by the school, shopping a little, and then enjoying a fun lunch together.
• Take a dry run. The day before school begins, get your child up and out the door at the time he will need to be ready for school. If he is attending a morning program, take him for a doughnut after you have made the dry run to school. If he is attending an afternoon program, stop by for a special ice cream cone to celebrate his upcoming day.
• Watch and wait … if necessary. On the first day, if your child eagerly welcomes his new environment, give him a hug and tell him you will be back in a little while. If, however, your child seems uncertain about the experience, tell him you will stay, but only for a few minutes. During this time, introduce him to other children, show him some of the toys and pictures around the room, and help him get settled. When the time limit is up, give him a hug, reassure him of your love, and leave quickly. Although there may be tears, your child will more than likely stop crying and start enjoying himself soon.
Above all, remember that preschool is a time of growth — a time for your child to broaden his horizons, develop social skills and begin a love of learning. Keep the experience positive, and your child will have fun and eventually adjust to his new environment.
Denise Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.
