The first day of preschool is often the hardest for many children. If you are worried that your child will not be able to get through that first day, then you are not alone. Many parents have this worry. However, there are easy fixes to this situation that will at the very least ease the transition. Here are some that you can try.
Rushing is Not Allowed
You want the first day to be as drama free as possible and in order for this to become a reality, all waking up must be done in a timely manner. When the rushing starts, the anxiety and panicking begins. So, set your alarms and ensure that you and your child are wide awake long before its time to get your day started. Get dressed calmly and eat breakfast calmly, without haste and you will help set the tone for the day.
Be an Early Bird
Try to get to school a little earlier than everyone else. This way your child will start getting accustomed to the new environment before all the other children start coming in. Depending on how early you go, your teacher may already be there and you will have some time to talk about your child and what to expect on the first day.
Put Your Best Face Forward
It is not just children who get first day jitters, you may find that you are filled with apprehension and anxiety too. If this is the case, then you need to hide it as much as possible. This means you should smile a lot and start speaking positive words about the experience. Your child will feed off of your mood and become more relaxed about the day.
Stick Around
The first few days of preschool are going to be hard, make sure that you choose a school with a policy that allows parents to stick around at least for a while to see how well their child settles in. There are schools that allow you to stick around on the first day only and others that permit you to stay for a few days. The key to making this work though is to be around but not hover. Whenever you can fade into the background so that your child begins to get comfortable on their own.
The first day of preschool can be traumatic for a child. However, if you employ the techniques given here you will get your child settled into their new environment quickly.
