Prepping your little one for Day Care and Pre School
The first day at preschool or nursery school marks a significant transition for your little baby and for you as well. With that in mind, we've put together some great tips to make this transition easier for the entire family.
- Positive Tone: We often mention in our blog that our (parents) attitude towards any challenge on our kiddo's life means a lot to them. They're already used to be the whole day with mom at home and even though this moment is hard for both of you it is important that you set a positive tone to your little one and make sure that he/she will have a great experience on this new experience.
- Routine Adjustment: Give your family a few days to get used to any new sleep schedule that preschool will require. Begin to get up at the time you'll need to awaken on preschool days, and set -- and keep -- an appropriate bedtime for a good night's sleep.
- Crying: Yes, this is a tough one. Even preparing really well for this moment it is likely that your kid will cry when you drop him/her off at the first days. This is surely heart-breaking but it is also important to explain to them that we'll be back later and they'll have lots of fun. A curious fact is that most kids will cry only for 5 or 10 minutes before starting to socialize with the other kids and have fun! Good idea to ask their teachers/carer how long they've cried for if its the case.
- On-time Pickup: It is important that you're always on time to pick up. When your kid sees other kids being picked up and you're running late it is not always so easy for them to understand that. So be on time, this is super important.
- The "how was your day" rule: This is crucial! Very important to create this habit since their first "classes" days. This is a great way to bond and chat all about their day and yours as well.
Prepping your little one for Kindergarten
The transition to kindergarten can be a big change for parents and children.
In many cases, this means not only a classroom change but a transition to a new school as well. As exciting as this change may be, it can also be a big challenge.
These helpful tips can help prepare both you and your child for kindergarten.
- Plan the breakfast time: Mom, dad, and kids all have their schedule and for no one to be late it is important to plan the wake-up time for all moving parts as well as eating breakfast and getting ready to out of the door on time. Almost like a fire drill right? (all moms will get it).
- Books: Things start to get a bit more serious (academically) at kindergarten and reading starts to be a good activity for the kids. Again, our attitude is very important to set an example. Ready to the kids! This way they will enjoy the fact of having a book in their hands and learn from books.
- Homework Routine: Again, de academics start to get more serious when kindergarten starts. To establish a homework routine is important so kids learn about responsibility.
- Back to School Shopping: Bring your kiddo with you for the Back to School shopping. This way they can pick the coolest pencils and notebooks. This motivates them to go to school and learn.
- Naps: For preschoolers who still take a nap, begin decreasing nap time so that he/she will be ready for a full day by the time kindergarten starts.
Both these transactions can be hard but at the same time, it's an amazing experience for both of you. So our greatest tip is to get ready for lots of emotions and enjoy each step of it. It's truly incredible to watch them grow and become great human beings.
Image Source: Stonz | Burst