7 Things to Prepare your Child for School!

Let your child be a part of the process. Give them an active role in the preparation for the first few days of class. Having that bit of feeling of control and involvement will make it less scary and diminish the anxiety.

Most schools require that your child carry a backpack to and from school each day. Take your child to the store and let him/her pick out their own special school bag. They feel so proud of themselves and so excited to share it with classmates and the teacher. Apply the same principle to their indoor shoes. Let them pick out the "perfect" pair within reason of course. Be sure they have chosen a pair that they can get on independently. A side note - high tops are not recommended.

Each night before school have your child assist you with packing their snack. With your guidance, teach them to choose nutritional snacks. Put the lunch kit in the fridge so that each morning your child pulls it out of the fridge and puts it into the backpack.

Two to three weeks before begins establish the bedtime routine and morning routine. Be sure both routines remain consistent. Consistency will set the expectations and familiarity for when school begins. Your mornings will be much more pleasant and organized.

Dressing for school each morning is another area to promote independence and individualism. Let them choose what they want to wear. It really doesn't matter in the big scheme of things if the socks don't match or stripes and plaid have been mixed. Once again it is about independence. Teach them to dress themselves. It will take time but have patience.

If your chosen preschool permits, visit the facility prior to school starting. Familiarity will make the first day run much more positively.

The first day of school needs to be relaxed and happy. Children have a keen sense and instinct. If you are anxious, hurried and grumpy, they will sense that. Be happy, positive and relaxed. There maybe some anxiety but don't Feed it. The more you play into it, the further it escalates. I promise you that we will love and care for your child as if they were are own. I assure you that every child settles once we get our day underway and he/she gets involved. If they don't, our policy is to call you. Trust us it does get easier and better with each day.

Lastly, check with your preschool about their bathroom policy. For First Steps our 3 year olds must be potty trained and be independent in the washroom.

Preschool is your child's initial step in education. It needs to be positive and fun,.