5 Tips for a Smooth Preschool Transition
Sending your little one off to preschool for the first time can be tough! Oftentimes, this is their first time away from home for so many hours at a time. This can cause anxiety for us parents as well as in the children! Here are five tips to make the transition easier.
1. Positive Attitude Goes a Long Way!
Leading up to their first day, stay positive!!! Make sure you talk about things they will experience with joy and enthusiasm! Remember, kids tend to feed off their parent’s emotions. They are looking to you for cues on how to react to a situation. So, if you keep your cool, there is a better chance they will too.
2. Visit Ahead of Time
Take advantage of any opportunity to visit the school, classroom and to meet the teacher. If you miss it because you are on vacation or for other reasons, plan for a private meeting. It is crucial children see their new spaces ahead of time in a non-stressful and enjoyable way – with parents in tow. Most schools and teachers will be happy to comply with these requests.
3. Learn the Daily Routine
Find out what you can about the daily routine of the classroom. You can then spend time talking through the routine leading up to their first day. This lets them know what to expect. Knowing what to expect lowers children’s anxiety levels and gives them things to look forward to and plan for. (Bonus idea- point out things in your day that they don’t like that they won’t have to do when they’re at school.)
4. Mission (Not) Impossible
On the first day- give them a mission or job to do. For example, be a reporter and report back what book they read, learn one friend’s name, name favorite game they played, etc… Give him a new job each day.
5. Same Old, Same Old
At first, make after school time as routine as possible. Going to school is exhausting. Having a set after-school routine will lift any burdens of stress or anxiety that is even harder to deal with when one is overtired! This will help to avoid any evening meltdowns.
Final Thoughts
Be brave! It is hard as a mom worrying that your child may be spending the day upset. I guarantee you it is harder on us than them. Be confident that the teachers have seen it all and can get your child calmed and involved very quickly. They will be fine within ten minutes, and you will worry all day, for nothing!
It is an emotional transition for you both but soon enough it will be second nature! You may even be shocked when one day they are upset because they do not want to leave school and cry on the way home!
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