Being sure of your child's kindergarten readiness will help ease
first-day stress and prepare your child for kindergarten success in the
year ahead.
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Allow your child to become familiar with the school by driving past
it as often as you can during the summer, advises Eddie Manuszak,
principal of Patterson Elementary in Tecumseh, Mich.
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Tour the school during the summer, even if your child visited on
registration day, just to get her more comfortable in the building. Most
schools are staffed during the summer by the principal, assistant
principals, and other administrators.
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Bring up school in conversations at home as much as possible. Talk
about the fun things your child will get to do. Don’t express regret
that he’s starting school. Make sure he views it as a positive step.
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Make shopping for school supplies a fun experience. Get a list from
the school of exactly what is allowed and expected. Some schools forbid
rolling backpacks, colored markers, or other familiar supplies. Let your
child make some choices about the color of her backpack or the type of
pencil case.
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Start the school bedtime routine a month before school starts.
Parents can scale back gradually, having the child go to bed just five
or 10 minutes earlier each night. “It takes 30 days to establish a
routine,” Manuszak says. “You don’t want your child to be too worn out
to make it through the day.”
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Work with your child during the summer on making healthy food
choices. Most kindergartners are given some choices if they buy their
lunch at school. For example, some schools sell whole, chocolate,
vanilla, strawberry, and 2 percent milk. Children used to having Mom
make all their decisions may be overwhelmed, and most will be tempted to
make the tastiest, and often unhealthiest, choice.
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Check out books from the library that help ease jitters about starting school. Manuszak recommends The Night Before Kindergarten, by Natasha Wing, and The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn.
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Attend every open house and meet-the-teacher event offered. Stop by
the parent involvement table for information on joining the PTO—it’s a
great way to meet other parents with children in the same class and to
keep up with what’s going on at school.
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Prepare yourself. “You are going to cry,” Manuszak says. “Be strong
and don’t cry in front of your child. Hold the tears until you’re in
your car.”
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Work with your child throughout the summer on kindergarten readiness
academic skills such as writing her name or reading letters—but only if
she’s ready. “You know your child best,” Manuszak says. “Follow your
child’s lead. Don’t force it. Drilling them before they’re ready creates
stress.”
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Do arts-and-crafts projects with your child during the summer. He’ll
get more comfortable using scissors, markers, and other supplies that
he’ll see plenty of in kindergarten.
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Ask your school whether they have a kindergarten handbook for
parents. Sandra Watson, director of elementary education in Fayette
County, Ga., and a former principal, authored a handbook for parents of
kindergartners in her district, and parents often refer to it during the
summer when questions and fears arise about their child starting
school.
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Find out whether the kindergarten curriculum is available online and
familiarize yourself with what today’s kindergartners are expected to
learn. Kindergarten has changed dramatically in the past 20 years. Many
of the skills your child will learn were once taught in 1st grade.
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Talk to your school’s principal about their philosophy of
kindergarten and kindergarten readiness. Some educators believe in
making kindergarten more play-oriented, like preschool, while others
believe it’s time for kids to sit at desks like 1st graders.
Understanding your school leader’s philosophy will help you understand
what your child is learning and why.
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Make sure your child has the necessary immunizations to start school.
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Be prepared for a wide range of kids in your child’s class. “Kids
come in A to Z,” says Watson. “Some don’t know their last name and
others are reading at a 1st grade level and higher.” Don’t make it a
competition. Development at this age varies from child to child, as does
school readiness. By 3rd grade, most kids will be at the same level,
but younger kids need to be allowed to grow at their own pace.
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Over the summer, work with your child on problem-solving. Some kids
are whizzes with flash cards but unable to think for themselves when a
problem arises. “Give your child a chance to answer who, what, where,
and why questions,” Watson says. “Going grocery shopping can be a great
learning experience in preparation for school.”
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