10 Ways to Prepare your Child for Preschool

August is around the corner and for many parents it means sending their child to school for the first time.

When a child attends school, it closes the toddler stage and opens the world of independence. Although this milestone is very rewarding for both parents and child, it could also be very stressful. This is especially true for stay at home parents and children that have never attended daycare or school.

My daughter will be attending Preschool in the Fall, we are all very excited, but she has never been in care of a "stranger". So this transition is going to be difficult. So, I decided to come up with this list of 10 ways we can get our children ready for this exciting new stage.

1. During the summer months start telling your little one how exciting school is. There's a cafeteria, a library and other kids her/his age that are going to be ready to learn and play with him/her.

2. Take your child with you when you buy school supplies. Encourage them to help you pick their backpack, pencils and nap mat.

3. Drive by the school your child will be attending and let them know how close it is to home or how easy it is to get there.

4. Reassure your child that the teacher will take good care of all the students and that you will call/email the teacher for any concerns.

5. Review over general rules, such as staying in your seat, raising your hand, potty brakes, being respectful, listening to teacher, etc.

6. Remind them how proud you are of him/she being a big boy/girl and that you can not wait to help with their homework and projects.

7. Let them know who will be dropping them off and picking them up from school.

8. Read a book with a school theme.

9. Start planning your childs BEDTIME and start practicing it no later than July! I can't stress this enough, because it is very important for little ones to get enough sleep.

10. Ask your child for two reasons why they are so excited to start school and answer any questions or concerns they have with a smile and positive tone!

            The first day of school will be difficult, but if both parents and children start talking about it and start getting excited about school it might make a difference. Your child will know what to expect and they will see how involved and interested you are about school.

Comment if you have any other suggestions!

Thanks for reading!
-Viry