Should your Child Start Preschool?
Image from bristol.k12.ct.us
Your child must be ready for preschool before you send them off. If they have never had an in-home caregiver, have gone to daycare, or have been away from you for the day may have a hard time adjusting to the preschool idea.
Your child must be able to be away from you for more than a couple minutes without throwing a fit. If he/she can’t do this, chances are they will throw a fit every time you drop them off at preschool. Can your child talk with other adults on his/her own without needing you to help? If they can’t, it may be a wise thing to keep them home. If your child has shown interest in what other kids her age are doing and wants to interact with them, then preschool would be a good fit for her.
The first few weeks of preschool can be the hardest on your child. It can make or break your child’s preschool experience. Here are some things you can do to help him/her feel more at ease with the new experience.
When you drop your child off, stay with her for an hour or so and each day decrease the time you stay with her. Eventually you will be able to drop her off and leave right away. Avoid constantly clinging to your child during these sessions, it is okay to play a game with them, but don’t tell them what to do or who to play with.
If your child doesn’t want to talk with other children or ask the teachers for help, don’t let them ask you instead. Doing this will only weaken their social skills and they will depend on you more instead of building confidence in their skills. Avoid pushing your child to make friends right away. Remember that for the most part, your child has never interacted with other kids his/her own age before.
Your child will grow in confidence when the same adults are welcoming her every day to class. After some time, your child will start to mingle with the other children on a regular basis and start to make friends. Let your child know when you drop them off that an adult will always be there taking care of her, and she has nothing to worry about. Putting your child at ease will help her integrate into the environment easier and ultimately have a better preschool experience.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Related posts:
Filed Under: Socializing
[...] the national recommendation that your child start school at the age of five, it is not required. Starting your child too early can have drastic [...]