The traditional excitement of first day of school has been eclipsed by the overwhelming impact of the first day of preschool. For many parents, the next few weeks will bring their child’s first day of preschool – and everything it entails. Here’s the Elite Nanny guide to how to ace the preschool preparation.
Top tips for a successful preschool transition
Visit – giving your child a chance to visit their preschool, familiarise themselves with the classroom (and especially the toilets, often a cause of much angst for little ones) and absorb the intangible aspects of the space such as sounds and smells, gave deliver a much less stressful first day.
- Build on skills – many toddlers will struggle to master all the skills required for preschool, so you can help by giving them lots of practice for basic developmental markers like using the toilet, washing hands, sitting at the table to eat and – of course – putting on clothing. While there will be help with all these activities, the more comfortable your child is with them, the more likely they are to be able to perform them in unusual circumstances.
- Model and play – if you can get hold of a schedule for an average day at preschool, you can help your child adjust to the new timetable at home. For example, by setting an alarm for when your child will be playing, or reading, or having a nap and then ‘pretending’ to do those things at home, you can allow your child to use their desire to enact everyday activities to become comfortable with the time-frame of their preschool.
- Talk about emotions – your child may not be very excited about preschool, as they have no idea what it will mean for them, but it’s easy to transfer our own concerns to our children. A nanny can help by taking to your child about how her parents feel about her growing up, and by offering a space where a little one can talk about her own feelings. It’s very common for children to regress in some areas when they are challenged in others and being able to express their emotions, even if that’s non-verbally, can help children to balance their feelings with the demands that preschool is making on them.
- Be there – once again, a nanny is a boon when collecting a child from preschool, because there is nothing more traumatising for a child than not being picked up promptly. Ensuring that one of you will always be at the gate to collect your toddler saves them from the kind of experience that parents cringe over and children never forget.
Finally, plan something for yourself – it is a big deal to send a child off to preschool and it’s common for parents to feel weepy, bereft or disturbed. Having a little treat on preschool start day: whether it’s a trip to a coffee shop, going for a run or spending time with a friend, can help ensure that when your child comes home, you’re in a positive, receptive frame of mind to hear all about their day’s adventures.