The first preschool can either be exciting or dreadful for some kids. It does not matter even if you enrol them in the best preschool in Singapore. It can be both the highest or lowest points in your child’s preschool experience, especially if it’s their first day. For parents and their children, it can mean anxiety and the feeling of getting overwhelmed. Nonetheless, preparation is always the answer in tackling your preschooler’s first day!
First Day For Preschoolers – Preparing For The Big Day
As the big day for their first preschool class approaches, parents and their respective children must recognise several factors. We are all aware that most would feel different or sometimes anxious in being in new places, being away from their parents and meeting unfamiliar faces along the way. It is a tough challenge that parents and their toddlers must face, whether the student is taking a standard enrichment or bilingual programme.
Without further ado, here are a few things that can help along the way:
Help your child be more familiar by visiting the school
New faces and places can always stir anxiety. If some adults can often still get the feeling, it’s no different from a child who is still learning and discovering the world around them. The feelings and emotions are often more heightened, and the anxiety can weigh them down. However, the more familiar and acquainted they become, the lesser the anxiety will be upon them on their first day of class.
Even if they are in the best preschool in your area, it’s ideal for parents to help their child become more familiar with the place and possibly meet their respective teachers by visiting the school. Another factor that you should let your child see is their classroom. Your child might be curious about what the classroom will look like and where they will sit comfortably.
Read them books about the preschool experience
While it’s every parent’s mission to discover their preschool curriculum in Singapore, your toddler might still be unfamiliar with going to their first preschool class. Nonetheless, you can help them ease the strangeness of going to the first day of class by reading them books about preschool. Reading the books about it helps them be more acquainted with the concept of a school class in a mental sense.
Help them understand what they can learn and the advantage by talking about what the characters feel in the story and asking your child in return. You might be able to give your child inspiration and motivation to tackle their first big day!
Listen to what your child is worried about
There are good reasons your child might feel anxious or worried, and it’s something parents must address with their toddler. It’s vital for you to let your child express their worries. After all, it’s more than just taking them to the best preschool. Listen and pay attention to what they want to say, whether it’s big or small. Their concerns will affect their experience. Will they encounter bullies along the way? Is the teacher strict, or will you remember to pick them up after class?
As a parent, we must never be too quick to reassure our children. Have time to listen and explain what they are sad, scared and anxious about before their first day starts. It can also be helpful to share your personal experience and what you did to overcome what you felt. Their preschool experience is more than just taking them to the best preschool. It’s about communicating what they expect and conquering those fears to create a positive experience. Take time to talk about it with your toddler.
Be excited for the first day
Going to school is not something that should be dreadful for both parents and students. Showing your own excitement can help you influence your child in a positive tone. While they may not be as excited as you are, it helps them prepare themselves mentally.
Take them to a mall and buy them supplies, clothes and other items they need for their first day. Have them pick what they want to use, from their shoes to their backpack. Let them know that they will be going to the best preschool where they can meet new friends and make new milestones and achievements worth celebrating. It will help make their first day less nail-biting.
Tips For Saying ‘Good-Bye’ On Their First Day Of School
From learning their preschool curriculum before their class starts to buying them all the essentials they need to prepare for the big day, parents often have a hard time separating from their children. If this is something you are not prepared to face, here are a few simple strategies to help parents ease the jitters of saying goodbye to their children on their first of school:
Keep yourself in an upbeat state
Children can sense the emotion of their parents, especially when they are about to be separated from them. Trying not to look sad or anxious will help them stay more relaxed and less concerned. Say a quick goodbye in a positive tone. It will help reassure your child that all is well.
Stay a little while before leaving
Even if they are in the best preschool, teachers don’t always have the capacity to convince students to stop feeling blue after their parents have left them. Staying for 15-30 mins on the first day of the class can help allay the transition.
Resist the urge to rescue and stay
Avoid running back if you hear your child cry as you must resist the urge to stay and rescue them. It can be upsetting, but coming back to rescue your child will only prolong the distress and make it difficult for your toddler to adapt during their preschool days.
If you are looking for a bilingual programme, visit Little Skool House for more info on the current curriculum.