Whether you are sending your kindergartener off for his first full day of school or your child is starting at a new school, that first day can be stressful for everyone. Your child’s anxiety will only aggravate yours as the hours and minutes tick closer to that fateful moment. The more positive you can make the day, the happier you will both be. Then, ideally, you can look back on that day with good memories.
Step 1
Call the school. See if you can arrange a meeting with the teacher and a visit to the classroom. Bring your digital camera. Take pictures of your child seated at a desk, with his teacher, in the doorway, at the cafeteria, on the playground and other areas. Let your child ask questions and explore a bit to relieve the worry about the unknown.
Step 2
Print the pictures. Flip through them every morning or so. Talk to your child about what he expects. Answer questions as you can and relieve her concerns.
Step 3
Get together with some other kids from his class and their moms. Have them over for lunch or a play date so the kids can get to know each another before the first day.
Step 4
Wake your child up, get him dressed and drive him to the school about the time of morning he will need to prepare for school, on the morning or week before school officially starts. Drive him by the school, and talk about how early he will be going to school. Go to breakfast to celebrate the first day coming.
Step 5
Arrive at school a few minutes early the first day so you can stay with him while preparing for class to start. Come back to pick him up just a few minutes early so that you are there as soon as he is released.
