17 Jun 2019 | 8 min Read
Narendra Goidani
Author | 64 Articles
With a little cautious planning, your little one’s first day of school can be as easy as learning A, B, C. Starting a school is a big deal. Your child’s first day at school might be approaching near. It is obvious for your kid to feel jittery and anxious when entering a new environment. But, please keep this in mind that some kids easily adapt to the change and are very socially active whereas some dread the separation.
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It’s a big thing – a real school, large classrooms, long hours of sitting in one place, homework and what not. Kids with elder siblings are somewhat trained and know what was coming. They are less frightened hence zero jitters.
Whereas there are other kids first day at the school has various kinds of fears, especially those who haven’t attended any daycare or preschool. Make them feel comfortable about jitters, and answer their questions honestly which calms them down ensuring a school is a fun place where they’ll be learning new things and making friends for life.
These include:
Why not- Teachers are 2nd mothers to the kids. Explain your kid about the snack time, lunch breaks that are often especially in the kindergarten/preschools. Tell them that teachers are aware of how kids behave when they get hungry and it is absolutely normal to go and let your teacher know that you are hungry.
Also; you can let them know that they have an option to buy lunch from their cafeteria. When they are starting school, ask your kid what they prefer in their lunchbox and consider packing their favorite snacks.
Well, that’s a growing concern about getting tons of homework. You need to explain them in a very basic way that it is part of the school work but there won’t be a lot of homework.
The homework they will get will be fun and interesting to do. He/she will learn a lot of things out of it and mostly it will involve reading stories. Tell your child that it will probably take a few minutes in completing the homework which will mostly have coloring, reading a few pages from the book and scribbling new letters.
It is a good question, as there are kids who are fussy about their washroom rounds. You need to explain to your kid that there is always a bathroom near to the classroom so that kids can immediately go when nature calls.
There are many kindergarten and preschools that have the bathroom set up right in the classroom so that the younger kids don’t have to mingle with the older school kids and they can reach it in no time.
Your child is comfortable when you are there to take care of such instances and it is a natural concern when he is stepping out in an unknown environment. Tell your kids about how teachers take care of the children because they know that you are very small and cannot handle the accidents, they will always be there to help you.
You can always have an extra pair of underwear or pants in a small bag in their school bag. Tell your child that it is common with the kids, and if such a thing happens they should let their teacher know about it hence there is nothing to worry.
Tell your kid that like him there are other kids too who is going to school for the first time and they too will be thinking the same way. It’s okay if your child is not able to get along with anyone, but eventually day by day he will make friends and enjoy their company.
The ice-breaking may take time but it is not an impossible thing to make friends. Give some time and in few days you will have a bunch of friends to giggle.
How to prepare your toddler for the school; the first day of school for toddlers should be smoothing if you can make it as much as possible by following below guidelines:
Going to the school for the first time is not an easy transition for your kid. Don’t be rigid if your child refuses to go back to school but explain comfortably that it is the best place where they will be learning new things and having fun. It is okay if these jitters remain for a few days, eventually, it will go. All you have to do is practice patience with them.
Also read: 7 Skills to Teach Your Child Before School Starts
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