Ten Tips For A Great First Day Of School!
|
|
Many children are jittery on the first day of school. Listed are ways to prepare your child for the big day!
-Read books about school.
-Talk to other children about school, especially siblings or neighborhood
friends. These "experts" can help answer any questions your child might ask.
-Visit the school and the classroom prior to the first day.
-Introduce your child to the new teacher before the first day of school.
-Use structure to foster independence.
*Establish a regular bedtime at least two weeks before the start of
school.
*Establish an unhurried morning routine to help your child get ready-
and feel ready-to take on the school day.
-Practice the school drop-off and pick-up procedure with your child.
-Play school! Role play imagined school scenes, such as asking restroom
permission or walking quietly in the hall.
-Transitional objects encourage and support the child through the school day.
*Select school supplies together, such as backpacks or lunchboxes.
*Place a family photo or special note inside your child's lunchbox.
-Plan to say good-bye quickly. Children are quick to "pick up" signs of
hesitation by parents and may become upset. MAKE THE SEPARATION CLEAN."
-Take a short time out at the end of the day and discuss your child's big
adventure!
Congratulations! You made it through Day One!
Even the most prepared child may have second thoughts about crossing the threshold of the classroom. He or she may become shy,clingy, or tearful. If a parent anticipates the child may need extra support, discuss your concerns with the teacher BEFORE the first day. Short term support arrangements can be developed between parent, teacher, and other school support personnel, such as the school counselor,should separation difficulties continue beyond the first days of school.
Such arrangements might include:
-Allow the child to bring a "parent surrogate" to school, an object that
provides security to the child, such as a stuffed animal or favorite blanket.
-Arrange to have a friendly face meet your child at the school entrance and escort the student to class. Praise your child for entering the class independently!
Should your child demonstrate distress at separation, keep in mind, most departure behavior ends shortly after the parent departs. Contact your child's teacher later in the day to confirm the length of time your child continues to cry or refuse join the classroom activities. If your child settles down quickly, the chances that departure behavior will improve each day is good, if the parent sticks by the established good-bye routine.
If the teacher reports your child continues to demonstrate distress in ways that impacts your child's participation and enjoyment of the day or is disruptive to the academic environment of fellow classmates, ask for advice from the school on what you ALL can do, as a team, to establish a positive entry into school.
One year or more at school will leave most children feeling more at ease with predictable separations and more confident in their own budding social an cognitive skills. Believe it or not, a week or so into summer vacation, don't be surprised when your child says, "I'm really miss going to school!"
Sheree S. Marty has worked with elementary school children as a school counselor for the past nine years. A physical education teacher for thirteen years, Ms. Marty earned her Master degree in Counseling in 2000. Ms. Marty is the author and owner of "Chinese Jump Rope", a childrens games book and website. For more information, visit http://chinesejumprope.tripod.com
|
|
|
Back To School Responsibilities Again
It's that time of year when mom and dad look for ways to improve their child's academic standing, during the upcoming scholastic year.There are many options to weigh in such as: new school clothes, school supplies, peer pressure, after school care, homework, league sports, and transportation.This is time of year for great chang...(related: Parenting)
Caretaking Parents, Entitled Kids
Demanding children ? children who have entitlement issues ? seem to be common these days. Like the obnoxious child, Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, ...(related: Parenting)
The Scientific Breakthrough That Allows Every Couple To Choose The Gender Of Their Baby
The advances in science over the past century have been breath-taking. We've seen man stroll casually on the moon, watched in awe as scientists cloned and brought a sheep to life using nothing more than a few strands of microscopic DNA and we witnessed some stunning improvements in the fields of medicine and care ? for example, Viagra to some has been the discovery of a lifetime.Now, it seems, the latest scientifically backed research actually allows a couple to safely and naturally choose the gender of their baby with up to 98% accuracy. The implications of this research are huge and most couples whether they admit it or not would probably prefer one gender of child over the other. This is not at all a bad thing and there are several reasons for this. Perhaps a family with 3 l...(related: Parenting)
10 Steps To School Year Success
One of the most important aspects of parenting, is ensuring that your child gets a good education. School is a place where your child not only learns skills such as reading and writing; it is also where your child will learn about friendship, responsibility, and fairness. In short, school is a test run for the 'real world', and your child needs your help to navigate this complicated arena. When your child was a baby, you set your life around nap times and diaper changes,
1. Establish Consistent Routines
Take the 'year at a glance' approach. If you have a chi...(related: Parenting)
Signs Of Child Sexual Abuse
Many families do not want to believe their child is being sexually abused even if the signs of child sexual abuse are staring them straight in the face. Unfortunately many families are in a similar situation where both parents are working full time and someone other than the biological parents are caring for their children. Under these circumstances the potential for child sexual abuse is more prevalent. Obviously under these circumstances it is tremendously important for parents to watch for the signs of child sexual abuse.Some common s...(related: Parenting)
Beyond The Words, A Childs Voice
Voices have a way of falling into a pattern, not unlike the sound of constant rain. At first, the rain is obvious as it dramatically announces its arrival, and for a brief moment, you acknowledge the intrusion. But slowly, the rhythmic sounds fade into the backgroun...(related: Parenting)
The Laid Back Parents Guide To Teaching Your Child To Read
At first I thought of titling this article "The Lazy Parent's Guide" but then I realized that most parents aren't lazy, but they may have a slightly different philosophy about children and learning.If you're a big reader yourself or if you're homeschooling, you're probably concerned about how to teach your child to read. Reading is one of the most important skills a person can learn, and a grea...(related: Parenting)
Playful Parenting - More Than Just Fun And Games
Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents believe their children should be doing something mor...(related: Parenting)
Kids, Chores & More
Are you a frustrated parent who sometimes finds it is easier to take the garbage out yourself than to keep nagging your son? Do you wonder what kind of employee he will become since he doesn't always follow through at home? Is it worth the effort on your part to insist that he do his share? The answer is a resounding Yes!The lessons of life and self that we want our children to learn in our homes are not only the practical ones, such as making a bed, sewing on a button or cooking a meal. They include intangible benefits as well; it is equally important for children to learn the art of cooperation, the satisfaction of finishing a ...(related: Parenting)
Helping Your Child To Deal With Change
Fall marks the beginning of many new things both for our children and for us. Starting something new always means change and all of us respond to change differently. Many of us welcome it but many of us are filled with apprehension and fear. Many of your children will be starting elementary school for the very first time. Others will be starting preschool for the first time and others will be carrying on in elementary school but in a new grade with different expectations and more than likely a new teacher.Starting school or starting a new grade is exciting but also can be frightening because we don't know what to expect. Many preschoolers will be separating from us for the first time. Some children separate easily while others have a difficult time wi...(related: Parenting)
Unilateral Disarmament - The First Step To Improving Communications With Your Teenagers
Many times, we are so conditioned in how we speak that we do not realize whether or not we are effectively communicating with our teens. This is especially true when they upset us.To ensure that you are fostering an environment that will encourage your teenager to talk to you, as opposed to fearing you, the first step is to evaluate your communication style. How you express yourself and what...(related: Parenting)
Gifted Children - Getting The Balance Right
One of the challenges for parents with a gifted child is to encourage them to develop a range of interest outside the academic sphere that not only rounds them out but stops them from being isolated from their peersGifted children are a diverse group of kids who are talented in specific areas such as mathematics, language, sport or music. Some gifted kids are mutli-talented excelling in a variety of areas.Gifted children tend to be passionate and single-minded about their interests focusing their energ...(related: Parenting)
6 Ways To Communicate Clearly With Your Teen
How would you like to have a closer relationship with your teen again?Your ability to communicate effectively with your teen is one of the most precious skills you can develop to achieve this goal.When we think of communication, we tend to think only of the way we can express ourselves. This is certainly important, but listening is the single most crucial of all communication skills.As a mother of two teenage boys I know thatit isn't always easy to communicate well with your teen.It's particularly frustrating when they aren't talking to you. However, when I started applying these techniques to our lives, I found that we started getting along better almost immediately. There was less arguing between ...(related: Parenting)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Baby Care Info | All Rights Reserved. | Parenting