Starting kindergarten can be both exciting and frightening for your child, and parents are often just as anxiety-ridden as their preschoolers when it comes to this major milestone. To ease the anxiety, there are a variety of things you can do to help make your preschooler’s transition to kindergarten a smooth one.
Do a Dry Run
One of the easiest ways to help ease your child into attending kindergarten is to do a dry run. Visit the school ahead of the first day—even when the school is closed—just to familiarize your child with the location. If there is a designated day before the official first day of school to meet teachers and faculty, be sure to bring your child along to participate. If your child’s school does not offer a “meet the teacher” day, contact school administrators to see if you can schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher and other faculty before school begins.
Also, a week or two ahead of the first day of school, begin to adjust your daily and nightly routines to get your child familiarized with what will be expected of them during the school year. Adjust bedtimes, mealtimes, and daily routines to get your child accustomed to their new schedule.