Your kid’s first day of school is a huge event not only for them but for you as well. Whether we are talking about kindergarten, preschool, or first grade, this step means your child is going to need to get used to a new routine, environment, and set of people they are going to see every day.
It’s an exciting moment, but it can also be a challenging one, no matter how much time you have to prepare for it. Being away from their familiar space can be daunting for a child, which means you need to pay close attention to the little one’s needs and help them improve their social and emotional skills when needed.
To make things easier, below are a few tips to get your kid (or kids) ready for their first school day.
Start practicing the new morning routine
They say it takes us a minimum of 3-6 weeks to develop new habits, so if you want your children to get used to their new morning routine, you need to start practicing it at least one month prior to their first day of school.
One thing you may not know is that children find comfort in routines, as they get a sense of security when they know what is going to happen. Ideally, your child should learn how to handle these morning responsibilities as early as possible, so before school starts, begin practicing the steps of their new morning routine. This includes brushing their teeth, getting dressed, combing their hair, and so on.
Shop for school supplies together
Give your child permission to spend money and you will win them over forever. If there is something most children can’t wait to do before school starts, that’s shopping for supplies.
Get your little one ready, bring them to the closes school supply store, and let them know you want their input on a few things you need to buy for school. Let them choose their own lunchbox, backpack, pencil case, and other items – this will make them feel you listen to them and value their opinion. And, who knows? Maybe that dinosaur backpack is going to make a great conversation starter when your kid gets to know their new classmates.
Consider packing a comforting item
If you fear your child may develop separation anxiety when their start school because they are away from home for too long, consider packing a comforting item. It can be their favorite toy, a photo of your family, or anything that brings them a sense of security and comfort.
Any time they miss home, they can take out this item and it will remind them of you. Explain to them how powerful emotions can be and why it is important that we channel them into something good instead of letting them take control of us.
Get everything prepared the night before
To make sure you don’t have to rush to the first day of school, get things ready the night before. Choose their outfit together and lay it out in the evening, pack their backpack, prepare lunch, and go over their morning routine one last time.
This way, everyone knows exactly what they need to do next morning and you won’t have to run around the house with a fussy kid when you have their lunch to prepare as well.
