Preparing for Preschool
No flashcards needed!
The summer evenings are cooler, the sun sets sooner, and the stores have been stocked for months with enough bright, shiny supplies that even those without school aged children (or a classroom to stock) are tempted to purchase a new planner, some fresh pens, and maybe a highlighter or two. Indeed, the first days of school are just around the corner and that “fresh start” energy is buzzing almost as loud as the cicadas’ farewell songs.
That buzzing comes with more than just excitement for many children and parents alike, especially the littlest ones who may be walking into a classroom for the first time. Whether your child is starting preschool, kindergarten, or middle school, anxiety, and nervous energy abound for many of us. The good news? you and your preschooler are not alone and all these emotions? They’re completely normal.
Expectation Setting
Our tips below will NOT guarantee a seamless, cheerful, Instagram-worthy send off. It WILL give you some tools like phrases to use, actions to take, and situations to be prepared for. I’ve discovered at least 75% of the battle of parenthood is managing expectations: my own and my children’s.
The TLDR: Expect the drop off to be anything from wonderful to miserable. And no matter where on this wild and wide spectrum you and your child fall; do not assume it will last forever.
A wonderful first day does not mean you are in the clear (my own kids waited until the magic wore off and each had some rough mornings several weeks into school). A miserable first day does not mean your child isn’t ready for school. It means that change is hard even if you are an adult with a fully developed brain, social emotional stability, and autonomy to make your own choices. If you are two, three, four, or five, you’re still trying to gain enough fine motor control to zip up your coat. Emotional control? Forget about it. Control of your schedule? Sorry, kid, you can’t even snack when you want to.
The key here is that your child will feel how she feels and there is very little you can do to change that. You CAN be a safe place for her emotions to land. You CAN assure her that you also have feelings of nervousness, worry, even sadness sometimes. These emotions can trick us into thinking something is wrong. Our brain is designed that way. Our brain can think unknown = dangerous. The best way to show our brain that new doesn’t have to be scary? Do it anyway. Let go of mommy’s hand anyway. Walk in the door anyway. Still feeling sad? No problem. No one will make you smile. All children and all emotions are welcome here.
School is another, new soft place to land.
