Children need time to feel comfortable in new situations. We often see a few tears in the beginning. This is normal and should not be cause for concern or worry for parents. It can take a few weeks to adapt to a new routine, and it’s not uncommon for children to have more tears during the second week of adjustment than the first. Our Preschool teachers are pros at helping children transition into the classroom environment. Here are a few tips to help:
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep at night.
- Try to establish a morning routine that is relaxed and unhurried.
- Allow enough time to be on time for school. Children feel the hurriedness of being late and not having a chance to ease into their day.
- For most families, we have found that the carpool routine makes for the smoothest goodbyes.
- Before separating from your child, calmly remind him/her that you will be back (after school, after lunch bunch, etc).
- At pick-up time, rituals such a carpool again help set a familiar pattern for your child.
Before too long, the transition from home to school and back again will become a natural part of the day. Your child will have learned that greetings and goodbyes are a predictable part of the daily routine.