First Day Jitters

The first day of starting preschool can be an adjustment for both child and parents. Parents want their children to learn academics and have more opportunities to socialize with peers. Teachers can help children label how they feel—sad, angry, hurt, embarrassed—when their family members leave the room. It helps children when teachers tell them that what they are feeling is okay, and remind them that a family member will always come back to pick them up. For parents here are some key ways to help adjust and remember “Time Required: As long as it takes” The simplest of the steps, it’s also the hardest to do as parents it’s natural to worry about our children.

1. Say goodbye, give your child a hug and a kiss, tell him/her you’ll be back soon and then walk out the door. The key is don’t delay!!!!!!
2. Trust your child’s teacher to keep your little one calm by redirecting to a new activity to simply giving your child a hug and offering comfort, preschool teachers are masters at knowing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to making kids happy.
3. Establish a good-bye routine Maybe it’s a secret handshake or a special high-five.
4. Confront the problem head-on the best way to cope with preschool separation anxiety is to just deal with it. The reality is that within minutes of their parents’ exit, most kids happily settle down and forget what all the fuss was about.

Learn More at (NAEYC)