Calming First Day Jitters

The kindergarten countdown is on!  Your kindergartner's countdown chain is growing smaller, and so is my to-do list - it's almost time to welcome in a new batch of recruits.  Here are some ideas to calm first day jitters.

• Take a low-key approach.  It’s natural to be excited about your child starting kindergarten, but talking about it too much can actually make him more anxious. 
• Compare Kindergarten to something familiar such as preschool.  Explain that kindergarten will be a place where he will make friends, play with new toys, and learn.
• Get familiar with the school.  Attend your child’s PLP Conference together, bring your student to Orientation, come to our Ice Cream Social. 
• Put a family photo in your child’s backpack.
• Create an easy-to-follow morning routine.  Establish a regular early bedtime, and allocate time in the morning for a healthy breakfast. 
• Try to minimize your own anxiety.  Model confidence and excitement for your student.  
• Don’t stay too long.  Reassure your child that you will be back and say a quick goodbye, lingering will only make it more difficult for your child to see you go.  As wrenching as it may be for you to walk away while your child is sad or crying, chances are that she will be happily playing soon after you are out of sight.  (We love to love on your children – keep calm and let a kindergarten teacher handle it.)
• Identify his anxiety.  What exactly is he afraid of?  Once you establish what his specific fears are you will be better able to address his concerns and work with your child and ACS staff to find ways to handle them.

Ideas adapted from: 
          Lee, Katherine.  "Calming First Day Kindergarten Anxiety."  About Parenting.  Web. 13 
          August 2014.  http://childparenting.about.com/od/schoollearning/a/first_day_kindergarten_anxiety.htm

See you soon,