Is your child ready for Preschool?
Even when children reach an appropriate age to leave their parents for preschool, this can upset them. About one-third of children suffer from an insecure attachment style.
Even kids with secure attachment styles may struggle when the time comes to leave their parents and spend time with strangers. Proper preparation can make this transition easier for you and your little one.
Read on to learn five ways to prepare your child for school or child care outside your home.
1. Give Them Time to Prepare
As your little one approaches the age that they will head off to Preschool, mention that they will head to school soon. Telling them in advance allows them to mentally prepare for this transition.
Buy them a special calendar where you can mark special events together, like birthdays, holidays, and the big start to school. Adding events that they love will help them categorize the start of school as something exciting.
Give them special stickers that will make marking each event fun. Every once in a while, count the months and eventually the days to their start to help them look forward to this and know when it will happen.
2. Talk About It
Opening up an age-appropriate conversation with your little one about beginning child care or school will help you know what to expect. Ask them what they think it will be like.
Give them a list of things that they can expect. Sandwich the expectations by mentioning exciting stuff, things that may make them nervous, and then more good things to come.
Listen to their feelings. Do not tell them that the way they feel is silly. Acknowledge every feeling and then talk about the reasons that they should not worry about.
3. Create a Responsibility Sheet
Children with no responsibilities at home may struggle when they start school. All schools require kids to follow guidelines and expect a certain degree of responsibility.
Give your child a few age-appropriate responsibilities at home. This might be as simple as always saying please and thank you, putting away toys, and putting their plate in the sink. This will help them build self-efficacy and prepare for their early education.
4. Read Books About School
Reading helps expand your child’s vocabulary and comprehension skills, which will help them do better in school. Choosing books about school to read with them will help them sort through all of their worries.
It helps kids to step into the role of a character to safely experience something new. It will feel like they already went through it and give them ideas on how to navigate certain dilemmas.
5. Visit Preschool Learning Centers
Take your child straight to the learning centers before they begin. This allows them to get familiar with unfamiliar spaces.
It will also help them get excited about the toys, pictures, and possibilities. Meeting their teacher prior to starting will stop them from feeling like a stranger, so their transition goes smoothly.
Start Your Child in Preschool
Sending your kid to Preschool begins their journey into autonomy. At this point, they truly begin to discover themselves as their own person. Preparing them ahead of time will turn this into a positive and fruitful experience.