Prepare your preschooler for classes

Saturday, June 4, 2011

STARTING school can be a difficult time for children. We may say children are by nature social and confident but fears of the unknown still tug at them especially when it is time for them to go to the "big school."

While pre-school and kindergarten may be equated with "play school," entering graders, or elementary, is a different picture as the child prepares to embark on a formal education.

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Make it easier by preparing them for the bigger challenge ahead.

1. Inform your child about his school schedule. Tell him what time his classes begin and end. Accordingly, it is important to set a time for homework, meals, and sleep at home. Put away those PSPs and other mechanical games. Minimize TV viewing to half an hour. This structure will help your child develop a keen sense of time and will help him cope with the longer school hours.

2. Ask your child about his feelings and concerns. Address each properly by trying to assuage his fears while validating his positive feelings about going to school.

3. Help your child to be socially ready by setting household rules and give penalties when these rules are broken. Teach your child how to properly talk to another child emphasizing screaming and hitting their classmates and other kids at school is a big no-no. Teach your child to share and to take turns.

4. This is also the best time to teach your child some independence. Let him button his polo, tie his shoelaces, and comb his hair. These simple activities will teach him to do things on his own while having a good feeling about the trust you have given him. These are also ways to develop his confidence.

5. Help your children develop his communication skills by teaching him to listen and reply to others when they talk. Be sure to always answer your child's questions. Help him understand and use new words. It is also important to remember to speak to your child as you want your child to speak. This means, baby talking to your child means your child baby talking back to you.

6. Visit the school with your child. Show him around and have his teacher meet him before classes start. Knowing this figure of authority even before they set foot inside their classrooms will help calm his nerves.

7. Assure your child whatever problem he encounters in school you will be there to help him resolve this problem.

8. Try to have your child meet a classmate before the first of day of school so he will already have a friend when school starts.

9. Set some playtime during weekends for your child to be able to unwind.

10. Believe or not, the best way to prepare your child is through affection. Write notes saying how much you love him, kiss and hug him, and constantly communicate with him.