How to Prepare a Parent for Their Kid's First Day at Kindergarten

The first day of kindergarten can be pretty stressful, especially for parents. But with a little early prep and some positive and upbeat conversations with your child, the first day of school will be easy and memorable for moms, dads and the kids. Follow these easy steps and make the day special.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Talk to your kid about their new school since they might not know what to expect on the first day. Keep the conversation light. Start talking about it a couple weeks beforehand in case there is hesitation. It is better to deal with their fears earlier than later.

2. Prepare your kid socially. It's much easier to leave a child that can easily make new friends than one that is begging for you to stay so consider organizing a few playdates with other kids and moms about a month or so before the first day of school.

3. Practice the basics in numbers, letters and colors with your kid. Have your child practice writing their own name and count with him often. Also, make sure you teach your kid the sound of each letter--all schools stress phonetics.

4. Help your kid develop fine motor skills with tasks that teach coordination. Simple things like pouring a glass of milk or using forks and spoons are great.

5. Read to your child every day, and at night before bed. The more words they learn, the better their vocabulary.

6. Before the first day, take a tour of the school. If given the opportunity, set up a meeting with the teacher as well. If your child is familiar with her surroundings and someone new, it will help ease your hesitation.

7. Make sure that your kids go to bed early the night before. Also, have fun and plan their outfit with them before bedtime. If they wear school uniforms, make sure it's clean and pressed. Packing their bookbag with pencils, crayons and paper the night before can be fun too.

8. Feed them a good breakfast in the morning before you leave for school. And make sure they've gone to the bathroom before you leave the house.

9. Remind your child that you will want to hear all about their day when they get home. It will give both of you something to look forward to.

10. Give your kid a hug and a kiss, tell them you will miss her when you drop them off and that you'll be there to pick them up after school.

11. Consider making a scrapbook of your kid's first year of school. Take photos and save some of their artwork for the project.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you have batteries in your camera. You'll want to take a picture of your kid's first day at school.
• Make sure you are comfortable with your child's teacher and their new school. This will help the whole family.
• Go to an open house and bring your child.
• Register early in case you are missing a document. This will help to avoid any delays in starting.
• There are a number of books that discuss various aspects of the first day. Read those with your child and answer any questions they have. Some may even help you deal with the first-day nerves.
• Some schools have a "cheers and tears" type of breakfast for kindergarten parents. The emotional support could help.
• Prepare for some crying. Bring along some tissue.

Resources

• More parental tips at babycenter.com

[Fancylad]

on 6/5/2007 As a parent, I know that I had luck in enrolling my kid in a few classes with other kids down at the community rec center. It gave them a chance to mingle with other kids so they could get used to playing with others before school. Playgrounds with other kids are good too.