Julia D’AgostinoEva Amurri Martino is a member ofPeople’s Celebrity Parents Squadand mom to Marlowe, 4, and Major, 21 months. She normally blogs atHappily Eva After, but joins us today to give her best tips to ease preschoolers through a rough back-to-school transition, based on her own experience with Marlowe.It seems like only yesterday that we were preparing for Marlowe’s first day of the Preschool 2’s class, and now she’s about to start Pre-K! I’ve written couple of blog posts about it over the past years, but Marlowe’s preschool experience wasn’t without extreme bumps in the road. It took her three months, and a lot of work on all of our parts to get her comfortable with school. Then, once she did get comfortable, she turned in to a bit of a different person! It was so bizarre seeing the (some good, some bad) changes that a peer-based environment created. Spoiler alert: Who knew her classmates would know so many four letter words?!Since we’ve seen it all at this point, I thought I would share a few pointers, even if only to give myself a little refresher– my son will be starting preschool next year! Above all else– hang in there! There are bound to be some moments of discomfort– but remember that the only constant in life is change! It will turn in to something else before you can say “after-school snack.”Don’t Linger At Drop-OffIt took me a while to learn this one, but it is better if you give a big hug, kiss, promise to pick them up, and then turn and walk away. If you come back, give in, or hesitate at all you will give the impression thatyou’renervous about leaving them at school– which is a major problem. Show them confidence and it will rub off on them (Eventually). If you’re extra nervous, have the school call you later in the morning to reassure you that your child is doing well. Most kids pull it together the second Mom or Dad has actually left, and move on with their day. (Extra tip: If your school offers curbside dropoff, it can be a great option for kids who have that “doorway panic” at dropoff. For some reason having a teacher walk them in can be way less tearful, at least it was for us!)Don’t Take A 3 -Year-Old For Their WordListen to your children’s concerns and fears, of course, but don’t put it past them to embellish…a lot. A child’s sense of reality vs. fantasy can be a bit blurred at the preschool age. Make sure that you fact-check any complaints with a teacher before you worry. It could be a mole hill that turned in to a mountain in your child’s imagination! One time Marlowe told me she didn’t like one of her teachers. I asked her why, and she said “Because she’s really bad.” I asked her what the teacher did that was really bad, and she answered without skipping a beat: “She punched me in the face.” Sooooo. Yeah.Socialize With Other Parents!If your child seems to click with another kid in the class, try to set up a time for you to meet at a park after school and get to know their parent. Seeing you be outgoing with the parents of other children will encourage your child to be open and active in their friendships, too!Ask The Teacher For AdviceOne thing I’ve learned is that preschool teachers really have seen it all– and they can be a wealth of information! If you have any questions about a certain behavioral hurdle with your child, or if you have a question about a certain age or phase– ask them! They can be a really valuable resource for working together and making sure that your child is comfortable and thriving.Eva Amurri Martino/InstagramYou Don’t Need To Be A Gourmet ChefTo this day, the aspect of Motherhood that I find most annoying is packing my daughter’s lunch every day for school. I just can’t stand it. I feel like it’s so much pressure, and it took me years to not feel like I had to make something new and exciting for her every day (first child problems mixed with Type A Mom problems). I’ve finally realized that keeping it simple is key! If your kid has a favorite lunch, it’s okay to send her in with that three or four days a week! Nobody cares! And it’s okay if not everything is organic, and if you don’t pack a fruitanda vegetable every day, and if you roll your eyes while you pack it. It still tastes just as good and your child will still learn how to read. Eventually.Implement A Consistent Wellness RoutineKids get sick in preschool. A lot. Make sure that your kids are getting all the immune boosting they can to fight the germs! During the school year, I make sure Marlowe has a daily multivitamin as well as an omega-3 supplement and a probiotic. I make sure she washes her hands with soap and water before we leave school so that she doesn’t take those germs home with her. During flu season I also change her clothes when we get home from school and put on a new, clean set.Learn With Them!One of my favorite things about preschool has been rediscovering the world through my daughter’s eyes. I love hearing what she’s been learning at the end of the day, and watching her grasp new concepts. This year she got totally obsessed with rhyming, since she was learning about different sounds in words, and I could have sworn I was living with a rapper for a few weeks. I should have recorded an album! If your question “What did you do at school today?” gets a one-word response, try rephrasing. I find that other sentences (like “What did your teacher say today?”, “What was the funniest thing that happened today?”, “What was your favorite part of the day?”) get my daughter to open up a bit more!
Julia D’Agostino
Eva Amurri Martino is a member ofPeople’s Celebrity Parents Squadand mom to Marlowe, 4, and Major, 21 months. She normally blogs atHappily Eva After, but joins us today to give her best tips to ease preschoolers through a rough back-to-school transition, based on her own experience with Marlowe.
It seems like only yesterday that we were preparing for Marlowe’s first day of the Preschool 2’s class, and now she’s about to start Pre-K! I’ve written couple of blog posts about it over the past years, but Marlowe’s preschool experience wasn’t without extreme bumps in the road. It took her three months, and a lot of work on all of our parts to get her comfortable with school. Then, once she did get comfortable, she turned in to a bit of a different person! It was so bizarre seeing the (some good, some bad) changes that a peer-based environment created. Spoiler alert: Who knew her classmates would know so many four letter words?!Since we’ve seen it all at this point, I thought I would share a few pointers, even if only to give myself a little refresher– my son will be starting preschool next year! Above all else– hang in there! There are bound to be some moments of discomfort– but remember that the only constant in life is change! It will turn in to something else before you can say “after-school snack.”
Don’t Linger At Drop-Off
It took me a while to learn this one, but it is better if you give a big hug, kiss, promise to pick them up, and then turn and walk away. If you come back, give in, or hesitate at all you will give the impression thatyou’renervous about leaving them at school– which is a major problem. Show them confidence and it will rub off on them (Eventually). If you’re extra nervous, have the school call you later in the morning to reassure you that your child is doing well. Most kids pull it together the second Mom or Dad has actually left, and move on with their day. (Extra tip: If your school offers curbside dropoff, it can be a great option for kids who have that “doorway panic” at dropoff. For some reason having a teacher walk them in can be way less tearful, at least it was for us!)
Don’t Take A 3 -Year-Old For Their Word
Listen to your children’s concerns and fears, of course, but don’t put it past them to embellish…a lot. A child’s sense of reality vs. fantasy can be a bit blurred at the preschool age. Make sure that you fact-check any complaints with a teacher before you worry. It could be a mole hill that turned in to a mountain in your child’s imagination! One time Marlowe told me she didn’t like one of her teachers. I asked her why, and she said “Because she’s really bad.” I asked her what the teacher did that was really bad, and she answered without skipping a beat: “She punched me in the face.” Sooooo. Yeah.
Socialize With Other Parents!
If your child seems to click with another kid in the class, try to set up a time for you to meet at a park after school and get to know their parent. Seeing you be outgoing with the parents of other children will encourage your child to be open and active in their friendships, too!
Ask The Teacher For Advice
One thing I’ve learned is that preschool teachers really have seen it all– and they can be a wealth of information! If you have any questions about a certain behavioral hurdle with your child, or if you have a question about a certain age or phase– ask them! They can be a really valuable resource for working together and making sure that your child is comfortable and thriving.
Eva Amurri Martino/Instagram
You Don’t Need To Be A Gourmet Chef
To this day, the aspect of Motherhood that I find most annoying is packing my daughter’s lunch every day for school. I just can’t stand it. I feel like it’s so much pressure, and it took me years to not feel like I had to make something new and exciting for her every day (first child problems mixed with Type A Mom problems). I’ve finally realized that keeping it simple is key! If your kid has a favorite lunch, it’s okay to send her in with that three or four days a week! Nobody cares! And it’s okay if not everything is organic, and if you don’t pack a fruitanda vegetable every day, and if you roll your eyes while you pack it. It still tastes just as good and your child will still learn how to read. Eventually.
Implement A Consistent Wellness Routine
Kids get sick in preschool. A lot. Make sure that your kids are getting all the immune boosting they can to fight the germs! During the school year, I make sure Marlowe has a daily multivitamin as well as an omega-3 supplement and a probiotic. I make sure she washes her hands with soap and water before we leave school so that she doesn’t take those germs home with her. During flu season I also change her clothes when we get home from school and put on a new, clean set.
Learn With Them!
One of my favorite things about preschool has been rediscovering the world through my daughter’s eyes. I love hearing what she’s been learning at the end of the day, and watching her grasp new concepts. This year she got totally obsessed with rhyming, since she was learning about different sounds in words, and I could have sworn I was living with a rapper for a few weeks. I should have recorded an album! If your question “What did you do at school today?” gets a one-word response, try rephrasing. I find that other sentences (like “What did your teacher say today?”, “What was the funniest thing that happened today?”, “What was your favorite part of the day?”) get my daughter to open up a bit more!
source: people.com
