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Kindergarten is the first step in your child’s formal education. This is a time of adventure for your child. In kindergarten your child will learn to have positive relationships with peers. Your child will also begin the skills of math, writing, and even reading. Your child can be a success with a little help from you (the parent). Here, we have listed what is most necessary for your child’s preparation for a successful kindergarten year.
Prepare yourself for your child’s school year. It is normal for the parent to be nervous during the first few days of their child’s kindergarten year. For the first time ever, your child is in the hands of complete strangers. Parents will also worry about their child’s success or possible failure. It is very important that, during this time, the parent does not show anxiety or worry in front of the kindergarten child. Children pick up on their parent’s anxieties more easily that they are given credit for. Parents need to take the time necessary to remain calm.. Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher before the beginning of the school year. Bring your child with you and ask the teacher where your child will be seated and what can be expected throughout the day. This will familiarize your child with their teacher and the surroundings, thus building up excitement for the big event.
Prior to entering kindergarten, your child should be able to perform basic self care. Your child should be well potty trained (no longer dependent upon diapers at all). Parents should practice necessary life skills with their child on a daily basis to ensure that their kindergartener knows the following: be able to button clothes, zip up coats, tie shoes, eat with proper utensils (fork and spoon), and comb their own hair.
It is never too early to begin teaching your child the basics of what they will be learning in kindergarten. Set aside time each day to practice with your child on such skills as: knowing the alphabet, how to count to ten, writing their name, and being able to recognize shapes and colors. If your child enters school with these basic skills; they will be more confident and a bit ahead of the other students.
Develop your child’s social skills before the start of the school year. Make outings to public libraries and parks where there are other children to play with. Observe your child but also give them space to find their own solutions to peer pressure. Arrange for your child to participate in groups and activities without your presence. This allows your child to get used to the idea that their parent will not always be with them. By doing this, you are teaching your child that they can be without you and still be safe.
Preparing your child for kindergarten is essential for your child’s success in education. By teaching your child basic skills; you are instilling in them both knowledge and confidence. Use games, cards and books to teach your child the alphabet, how to read, and write their own name. Encourage your child to play independently so that they will not be so attached to your. Finally, prepare yourself so that you can send your child off to school being confident that they will be well, happy, and successful.
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Copyright 2007