Painting, circle time, outside recess, art and craft, snacks  — what’s not to love about preschool? We imagine it will be an adventure for our kids, they will have so much doing a variety of activities, but for them, it’s not a pleasant feeling to be away from you.

 

My son has started preschool one month ago. Like all the kids, he also took his own time in adjusting. Initial weeks were slightly tough. He wasn’t crying but he wasn’t very happy being there. His teacher suggested me to talk to him about school and his routine.  I gave it a try. I talked to him how the teacher said but then I realized that it’s not working. He was thinking about school and teacher all the time. I didn’t want him to get tensed whenever we would ask him about the school.

After this experience, I felt Prep-talk doesn’t work for all the kids. Every kid’s personality is different so is their handling style and their ability to cope up with different situations. For example, with my daughter, a brief talk always worked but with my son, no. Now, it’s been one month he has been going to pre-school and he finally had settled down. He is more interactive and involved. More than this, he is happy now. The daily school report has changed from Happy/Sad to Happy/Talkative. 🙂 So, how was my parenting journey as far his adjustment is concerned?

 

• First thing first, don’t rush them: Yes, give them time to adjust. It’s a big change for them. You know school is a safe and happy place but for them, it’s a place where mommy leaves them. Obviously, that’s not a very pleasant feeling.

 

• Don’t ask them too many questions: During their adjustment phase, hold on to your excitement. They are still way too young to express their feelings. If you see them doing some actions or saying some new words then most likely they have learned at school. If you keep on asking them questions like what did you do today? What did your teacher say? Who are your friends? then they are not going to answer that.

 

• No skipping school: Even though they don’t understand the importance of regularity but to put them into the practice of going to school happily, parents need to be regular. Repetition helps them in adjusting to the situation more quickly.

 

• Be an early bird: Just imagine you enter into a party hall full of guests and you don’t know anyone except the host. How would you fee? Your kiddo goes through the same state of mind. So until your child feels comfortable at the preschool, get there a few minutes early if you can. This gives her time to settle into an activity before the rest of the crowd arrives.

 

• Get to know the teacher: Please understand, their definition of comfort is different. If they see mommy or daddy is talking to a person then that gives them a feeling that this particular person is my friend too. In the beginning, it is hard to find a time to talk to the teacher as you want to quickly say bye and leave. But keep in touch with the teacher through other mediums like email, messages. This will help you in knowing about your kid’s progress.

 

• Tell stories that reflect the fun at school: You can build an imaginary character (it could be your kid’s favorite character). Our character is Pony Horse. Yes, I build my story around Pony Horse and narrate it to him in different chapters. I try to keep a few things similar to his school routine and add a few randomly.

 

• Never make false promises: If you are going to pick up your child after they eat their lunch then tell them “you will see mommy after you eat your lunch.” Little kids don’t know the clock. They go by our words.

 

• Don’t bribe them with chocolates: I know, this is the most obvious way parents think can make the child happy. But don’t you think you are putting them in a habit of expecting a chocolate in exchange for going to school happily? Instead, you can use a sticker. How about that? You can get their favorite character sticker book and give them a sticker if they spend a good time at school. You can also give them a sticker before leaving for school.

 

• Understand it’s a process and they will get it: We as parents are more over-whelmed when our child starts school. It’s natural. It’s not at all wrong. Why wouldn’t we? But it’s a process and every child has to go through this phase. Eventually, they get it.

 

Starting preschool for your little one is a huge adjustment, both for the parent and the child. No matter what you do, it will likely be a bumpy road for a little while. Having patience, not pushing your child and giving them enough time to adjust can help.

Happy Parenting!!

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