My little one starts kindergarten in 13 days, what steps should I take to prepare for her big day?

Question

My little one starts kindergarten in 13 days, what steps should I take to prepare for her big day?

Answer 1

Get all her school supplies, take her to "meet the teacher day" if your school has one. Try to make her as familiar as possible with the layout of the campus and the schedule of her day; be sure to explain to her that you won't be there with her. She'll probably be very excited, and want to aid in the making of her lunch and picking out of her supplies. She may or may not need a backpack - we had laminated giant envelopes.

Haha, when I went to kidnergarten, my parents didn't tell me anything. They just woke me up at 7am one morning and sent me off to school after I had never heard of such a thing.

Answer 2

Take her on a tour of the school and to meet her teacher. Maybe take her to play on the playground (so it's not so stressful for her).

Explain to her what her routine will be (if you will be taking her, or putting her on the bus, daycare... whatever you are doing). Make sure to let her know that someone will be there for her when school is over.

I'm not sure if she went to preschool setting, or daycare and understand that.

Let her know she will make new friends and how much fun she will have.

School shopping! Let her pick out crayons, a backpack, and other things to get her excited.

Practice counting and sorting, when she gets a treat (fruit snacks, candy whatever it may be) have her sort them out by color or shape and then count them.

Once school starts... make sure to be involved (not saying you wouldn't be). If teacher sends home a song, let her teach it to you. And so on. I work in a school setting... and I can most defiantly tell when a parent is involved vs. the parent that sits their kid in front of the TV all night.

Good Luck! I'm sure everything will go great. =]

Answer 3

oh geez I'm in the same boat. My daughter starts on the 3rd and I'm terrified.

I've explained how she needs to listen to her teacher, how to behave in class, how to sit the right way on the bus, and I've told her that she cant constantly talk in school, she needs to listen too. (she's a chatter box. lol)

But she's been ready for school for a few years now. So she's super excited. I just feel like 8am to 3pm is crazy long for kindergarten!

Answer 4

She's probably more ready than you are!  You can "play school" a bit, to get her used to the idea.  Let her help to get herself ready, so she'll feel like she has some control over things.  Let he choose her snack, help make her lunch and pick out her clothes.  

Don't try to warn her about rules or expectations: the teacher will do all of that herself.  Tell her a few fun stories about your own early school years, and just answer any questions that she has.

My kids also liked to have special plans for after school that first week or so; we'd plan to go for ice cream one day, or I'd make pizza for supper, or we'd plan to call Grandma to report on the day. It helped to have something to look forward after making it through the day!!

Answer 5

Pack her favorite lunch in lunch pail and put a picture your family in the lunch pail.

Answer 6

Explain to her how school is going to be, how much fun it will be, that she will make many new friends and have a very nice teacher. Pick her school items out, let her maybe pick some specials things that she really likes. And that being in Kindergarten is going to make her get even smarter and learn things that she can tell you about. And that she will make things that she can bring home to show you and maybe you can put her art work up on the fridge...  Good Luck  

Answer 7

the biggest thing i can say is start now with getting her up and used to going down early at night

the hardest adjustment is the sudden change in sleep habits.

take her to the school and see her classroom and meet the teacher

talk to her about school and how shes to behave.

tell her about all the fun stuff she will learn like letters numbers and how to read

get her supplies and a new outfit for the first day.

and a camera to capture the memory of the first day

mommy advice

dont linger around when you drop her off  too many mommys make the mistake of hovering and staying  around. get her settled and go. the faster the better she will be fine

Answer 8

Start talking about how great school is.  Tell her about recess, library, and new friends!  Have her help pick out her first day of school outfit, tell her to have fun and send her on her way!  Make sure you take plenty of pictures and send a little note or put stickers in her lunch box!  When she gets home have a special snack and tell her how proud of her you are!!  

Answer 9

If the school has an open house, take her to meet the teacher and find the classroom ahead of time.   If not, call the school and ask when they will be open so that you can bring your child for a self guided tour.  

Take her to school on the first day.      Don't act like you are heartbroken because your baby is starting school because you will upset her.  

Buy the school supplies together.   You would be surprised about how big of a deal it is to pick out school supplies.   A back pack, a new lunch box if she will be taking her lunch to school.    Discuss what she wants to take in her lunch box.  

Explain that she will be in a class with 15 other children and she will have to be on her best behavior to avoid getting into trouble.      Explain that there are rules she must follow even though she may not like them.

Make sure that she knows how she will be getting home (riding the bus, walking, you picking her up).     If you are picking her up, let her know the people who will pick her up and explain that you will never send someone she does not know to pick her up.   Tell her that if someone tries to pick her up or persuade her to go with them, she tells the teacher immediately.     Let her know that adults do not need children's help (finding their child; finding a lost dog, etc).      Go through the good touch/bad touch and explain to her that she should never keep a secret from you no matter what anyone says because you are the grown up and it's your job to keep her safe and it's not her job to keep you safe (since pedophiles routinely threaten to hurt mom/family if their victim tells).     Let her know to not take any medicine that someone from school gives her (you'd be surprised how many kids get into the parents stash of drugs and bring em to school).    Let her know if someone has something dangerous (knife or gun or medicine) then she should go and tell the teacher immediately to keep everyone safe.        

Don't write your kids name on the outside of the back pack.     A stranger won't seem like a stranger if he calls her by name.  

Write your name, phone number, cell number, other people's name and phone numbers on an index card and put inside her back pack so in case she gets lost, she will have the information to give an adult.    

Good luck.     Sorry I've had to warn you against all the negative aspects but too many parents don't have honest discussions with their children and the children are who suffer because they havent been given the proper tools.    Also, I work in law enforcement so I see the worst.  

Answer 10

That's so sweet, mate. Awwhh! Put a surprise in her lunch box.

Answer 11

Hmm...you taught her the alphabet, and colors, shapes. I guess sitting still and being quiet - little things to help her - talk about sharing and listening, be assertive.

She's been around mean people, or you've talked about behavior.

I hope you hold up during this big change in your life. She's probably ready, if your asking this. Enjoy the day, my son's in high school now, and it was only yesterday he started kindergarten.

Man, times flies!

Peace.  

Answer 12

Better give her that talk about whats appropriate touching by an adult and what is not.