My mom always tells me she was a mess after my first day of kindergarten
drop-off: she had to go out to breakfast and cry. While it wasn’t a big
deal for me, some kids do experience anxiety over heading to school for
their first day of kindergarten, and it’s entirely normal. Letting go of
your child’s hand on the first day of their school journey might be
difficult for you and for him, but it’s the first step toward letting him
fly on his own, and it’s an important milestone. Here are some real-mom
tips to make it easier on both of you.
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Visit the school
. Steph Dalrymple, mom of one, suggests visiting the inside of the school
sometime before the first day. Don’t skip the Kindergarten Roundup many
schools have these days, created just for the purpose of getting kids
familiar with the school, classroom, teachers and other kids. Also, “Go and
play at the school playground a few times over the summer. It helps make it
seem fun and familiar! Let them take ownership of ‘their’ school,” offers
mom Shari Medini. -
Find some friends
. You should be able to discover some other kids in the neighborhood for
your kid to meet before school starts. Otherwise, talk about what it’s
going to be like to make new friends at school and what it means to be a
good friend. -
Go shopping
. Kitty Fulks, mom of seven, says, “Take them shopping for school supplies
and for a few new outfits.” Back-to-school shopping is very important to
get kids excited for the first day! A new backpack, water bottle, lunch
box, shoes and nap blanket might calm some fears! -
Talk about it
. Reading some books about kindergarten and school is a great way to get
kids excited, offers Cathie Maschler, mom of four. Check out “On the First
Day of Kindergarten” by Tish Rabe and “The 12 Days of Kindergarten” by
Jenna Lettice, complete with stickers! -
Hit the high notes
. Fill your kid in about fun school situations, like field trips, recess,
assemblies, substitute teachers, making new friends, PE, art, music and
lunchtime. Mom Gina Kennedy suggests even calling the playground a “park”
instead, since it really is like a park at the school! -
Set it up
. Laying out clothes the night before, planning a special breakfast and
packing a fabulous lunch will go a long way toward kicking off a great day. -
Watch your emotions
. Act excited for your kid even if you are anxious, and don’t talk about
how much you’re going to miss your kid in front of them. -
Don’t linger
. “It’s easier if the kids can walk away from you than you leaving them. So
don’t go into the classroom and hover … Walk them into school or to the
classroom, and let them go in – and don’t linger. It’s like sneaking out
when you have a babysitter,” suggests mom of four, Teresa McAlhaney. -
Wrap it up
. Set up a routine for the end of each school day for your child to look
forward to. Even a simple snack and a chat about the day will get the
positive ball rolling so your child can take on the entire school year with
confidence!
