Starting kindergarten can be stressful both for the child and their parents. It’s a big change, and it needs to be introduced into the kid’s life the right way so they could adapt to it. It’s difficult to transition from a safe, loving home into the world of social interaction with others that may not necessarily be aware of your child’s needs or feelings. In order to make this process easier, we present you with a few tips that will help the whole family learn how to deal with this big change.
Share your own experience
Our children pick up everything from us when they’re young. Our habits, our personalities, even our moods. To ease their mind, tell them about your own memories from when you went to the kindergarten. Even if you don’t remember much, tell them what you know and describe all the fun moments you had, and the friends you made. If your child is shy, then they might need more time to open up and find new friends, so it’s important to encourage them gently and help them learn the appropriate social skills. Tell them about the recent event in your life that made you feel nervous, and what you did about it. Were you stressed about talking to your boss? Show your kid that even adults sometimes feel scared and that you understand what they’re going through.
Visit the kindergarten before you sign up
Take your little one with you and show them the place where they’ll be spending a lot of time in the next few years. It’s important to pick the right place that both you and your kid will like. Early child care centres in Brisbane recommend that both the parents and the teacher be involved in the education and development of the child’s life, so find a place that lets you overlook how things develop over time. Make sure that they have adequate sleeping rooms and that they pay close attention to hygiene and maintenance. Look over their syllabus to understand what kind of activities your kid will engage in. Ask your child for their opinion, because this will show them that they have a say in it, and that it’s not something you want to force on them.