| Change can be tough for anyone, but especially for | | | | conferences, open houses and field trips. If you plan |
| young children. When it's time for kids to start | | | | ahead, you will avoid the disappointment that you - and |
| kindergarten, many of them are very apprehensive | | | | your child - will feel if you miss an important event |
| about the unknown and what may lie ahead. When | | | | because you didn't remember it or make |
| parents watch their five-year-old walk through the | | | | arrangements to attend. |
| school's front doors for the first time, they may smile | | | | Create a school binder. Prepare a file to store all of |
| broadly and wave goodbye -- but they are commonly | | | | the teacher's notes, informational letters and other |
| feeling just as anxious about these changes as their | | | | important papers your child will bring home each week |
| child. Offer these tips to parents to ease the | | | | and keep it in a convenient place. If you already have |
| kindergarten transition for everyone, including you. | | | | a place to put all that paperwork, you will be less apt |
| Talk early, talk often. The time for parents to start | | | | to lose an important paper that you might need to |
| talking to their child about kindergarten is not the week | | | | refer to later. Some things you can store inside your |
| before it begins, but months beforehand. Some | | | | binder include contact information for the school and |
| parents naturally weave in conversations about the | | | | your child's teacher, lunch menus, the school handbook |
| school experience during daily activities with their | | | | and any of your child's school work you wish to keep. |
| children - almost from birth on - and these children are | | | | You can also keep copies of medical documents in |
| subsequently much less likely to feel apprehensive | | | | the binder that your child might need later for sports or |
| about facing their first day of school. When parents | | | | other activities. Being organized will reduce household |
| view the transition as a natural, positive and expected | | | | stress, which will also make transitioning less taxing for |
| one, children will, too. While it's common to feel sad | | | | your kindergartener. |
| about seeing your child grow up, focus on all the | | | | Make known the unknown. If your child hasn't visited |
| exciting experiences your little one is about to | | | | his classroom yet and school will begin before an open |
| encounter. | | | | house is scheduled, make arrangements for your child |
| Plan ahead. With the beginning of school comes a | | | | to do so. She will feel less anxious if she is familiar with |
| much busier family schedule. When your child's teacher | | | | the building and knows where the classroom is. |
| sends home a school calendar (and some schools | | | | Meeting the teacher is a big help, as well. Knowing |
| post calendars online), grab a marker and post every | | | | what to expect on her first day will help her avoid one |
| relevant event for the entire school year on your | | | | of the chief worries of kindergarten - fear of the |
| family's calendar. Even kindergarteners have teacher | | | | unknown. And it just might make you feel better, too. |