"Are you going to be there with me"? a friend's child asks me. Honestly, I wish I could. I love Kindergarten! Although it's not what it used to be. I remember the days of half day Kindergarten classes which included free play, learning to read and write, eating a snack and... yea... well that's all I can remember but I also remember how much I enjoyed it. These days it's way more work. Even so, it's a very wonderful time...but how can you explain this to your skeptical 4 or 5 year old?
Some things you can do to keep you both from getting upset is, to talk about those first days. Be honest. Let your child know that s/he may be sad and miss home and want mommy or daddy, and it is ok and natural to feel that way. Tell your child you will miss them too and plan an exciting activity for them when they get home that they know about. Also, let them know what to expect during the day such as lunchtime, recess, gym, big classes, new people, following rules, etc. Sign up to be a parent volunteer or class mother/father so that you can see what is going on and your child will know that mommy or daddy will be coming to school.
Kindergarten is a right of passage so to speak into the education world your child is entering. Enjoy this time and help your child enjoy it too. Think about and look forwards to all the fun things they will be doing, school trips you can go on together, and artwork to put on the fridge. And remember... some can say that everything they needed to know in life, they learned in Kindergarten!
