Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool

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TIME FOR SCHOOL:  ARE YOU PREPARED?
By
Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool; Bright Horizons at Louisville,
Kentucky
 photo brighthorizonspic2_zpsee120fe1.jpgThe first day of school can be difficult for children of all
ages. Children entering school for the first time are often anxious, but even
children who have already attended school can be upset or concerned on the
first day. 

What can you do to help make the first day easier for your child? Here are some
tips:

·        
Talk to Your Child
Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about
the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make
an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
·        
Choose a Buddy
If possible, find out the names of other children in your child’s class. Find
another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school
or ride with on the bus.
·        
Be a Cheerleader
Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. Tell your
child he’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh his memory about
previous years when he may have returned home after the first day with high
spirits because he had a good time.


Transitioning from Summer to School
 photo brighthorizonspic1_zps03ff68af.jpgWhile it is wonderful to give children the opportunity for a
more relaxed schedule during the summer, August is the time for gradually
easing children back into a routine to avoid an abrupt transition when school
starts. 

Here are some ideas for easing the transition into school:

·        
Get into the Routine
Start re-implementing your regular routines during August. If you let your
child stay up a little later during the summer, gradually get back to the
bedtime you expect once school starts.
·        
Practice
“Rehearse” packing lunches in the morning, so that you will know how
much extra time it will take and what supplies you will need to have on hand.
If your child will be purchasing lunch, begin collecting dollar bills and
change in a location in the kitchen so you will have it handy. Do a “dry
run” of the new morning routine, whether it’s walking to the bus stop or
driving to the new school to see how much time it will take. Remember, it
almost always takes more time than you think, especially when the unexpected
happens (e.g., you have to go back to the house to get homework, sneakers for
gym, lunch, etc.).
·        
Phase Out Naptime
Yes, we all love sleeping children, but if your child takes a nap, begin
decreasing nap time so that he or she will be ready for a full day without a
nap by the time school starts.
·        
Check Out the School
If you haven’t done so already and if the school welcomes the practice, make a
visit to the new school to meet your child’s teacher and other familiar faces.
If this doesn’t work with your schedule, arrange for a relative or neighbor
whose child attends the same school to take your child before the official
school year begins.
·        
Have a Back-Up Plan
Make sure you and your child know the routine for before- and after-school
care. Have a back-up plan for what to do in case you are late. You probably had
a plan for your current child care center, but be sure that your emergency
pick-up people know where the new school and after-school program is located
and what the pick-up routine is there. It is better to prepare ahead of time
than encounter an emergency.
·        
Create Morning Moments
For happier mornings, develop a special “getting-ready” routine and
stick with it. When children can predict what’s coming next, they feel
competent and are much more likely to cooperate. For younger children, a
relaxing routine might start off with some snuggle time and independent play,
followed by a nutritious breakfast. For older children, it might include time
to collect homework and plan for afternoon activities.
It’s impossible to protect our children from the world and
school is a big step towards their independence. With our reassurance and
patience, our children’s transition to school can be rewarding for all of us.

For information and articles relating to school readiness, visit the Bright
Horizons Ready for School website.

Bright
Horizons at Louisville
is located at 632 South Fourth Street in Louisville.  We are pleased to offer infant, toddler, preschool,
and kindergarten prep programs for learning, as well as school’s out programs
and camps for school age children. 
DCPD
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