I had given birth to my second daughter two weeks before I had to drop my oldest off for her first day of preschool. Once the classroom door shut and I made my way out of the building with the other parents, I cried. Not soft, quiet tears. I had to muffle an actual sob. Maybe it was postpartum hormones; maybe it was the reality that my first baby was growing up. My oldest is now going into third grade, and my middle is starting kindergarten.
I wish I could say that sending my kids off to their first days of school has gotten easier for me. In some ways it has, but I still get those first-day-of-school butterflies in my tummy. I’m not even the one going to school! I still have some worries, especially for my middle, who is going to full-time school for the first time. She excelled during her two years of half-day preschool, so I know she will do great in kindergarten. Both of us are just feeling a little nervous right now.
When my daughter tells me she’s feeling nervous about kindergarten, I make sure to tell her that it’s okay to feel nervous about new things. It’s my job as her mom to empower her.
Here are a few things we have been doing to help her (and me!) feel less worried:
Practicing Lunch Time
I pack her lunch box like I would for school and let her practice opening her lunch and snacks all by herself. Big sister helps with this too, of course. I make sure she can grab her lunch box, sit down, and open it all on her own. This also helps me figure out what to pack for her – what she can open, what she will actually eat, etc.
Reading Books
We have been reading a lot of books about going to school. It helps us talk about what she can expect in kindergarten, and how even though it may be a little scary at first, she’s going to have so much fun and learn even more. Some books we like are A Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon, The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!, and The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School.
Encouraging Creativity
Whether it’s coloring, kinetic sand, or simply playing pretend, I have been encouraging my middle daughter (and her sisters) to get creative. Play is so important at this age. Not only that, when she’s drawing and coloring, she’s practicing her writing, too. While I’m not stressing academics, I do want her to remember the great things she learned in preschool.
I know my daughter is going to have an amazing kindergarten year. She may not realize it yet, but I will be cheering her on as her nervousness turns to excitement. I hope these tips can help you if your child is nervous about starting kindergarten, too!
