Any Alice Cooper fans joining us today? Can you recognize the title play?
So school is back to in person or virtual learning, depending on the choice you made for your family. The first day for TDSB and for our preschool program is September 9, 2021. Are you counting down? Are you excited? Nervous?
Maybe you're feeling all the feels right now, and guess what? That is TOTALLY normal and okay! It's something routine and yet new all at the same time and our world is still topsy Turvey and trying to find our place and our footing is a momentous task.
We are here to support you. We are here to believe in you and to (distance) hold your hands and be on your team.
So without further ado...here are some tips for back to school!
-Talk about school...A LOT. The more calm and even excited you are, the more that translates to their excitement. "Huh...my grown ups aren't nervous, so this MUST be super fun"
-Drive by the school, talk about where they will play, where they will see friends and teachers, show them the park and playground. Maybe even have a picnic at the school. This can help orient them to a new building, even from the outside.
-Introduce books and songs about going back to school or starting school
-Invite them to help you create their new routine. Pick out their clothes, their lunchbox, help packing their lunch, their backpacks (lunches for our older friends...our preschool learners have a catered lunch in the centre)
-Be prepared for tired little bodies. It's a whole new routine and new people..that can be draining on anybody.
-Create new traditions, maybe on their first day, they get a special snack or more playtime and you can talk about their day. Growing up, my mom would always be at the kitchen table with a snack ready and usually a new book (books are my friends) and we would eat together and she would listen to be babble on about every detail of my day. Then I usually got my favourite dinner...and that always stuck with me.
-For preschool learners, feel free to tell their teachers things they like to do or play with, we'll be prepared!
-Remember that nerves, crying, hesitation...it's all normal. I promise. They will be okay. It always takes kids different amounts of time to adjust to a new routine, new place, new people...but they will adjust. Once they are comfortable and realize that school is fun and not scary, they have the time of their lives.
-Trust your teachers and communicate! We are there for you and your children. We promise.
-Always give them a big hug and say goodbye. "You're going to have a great day at school and learn and play with your friends and I will come to pick you up."
-Sometimes breaking things down into lists, can seem less daunting. So first you'll get dressed. Then we'll have breakfast. First we'll clean up and then we'll get our shoes on. It shows the follow through and that things happen faster than they think. Often we will say..."First we have circle, then we'll have snack." "First we'll clean up, and then we'll go outside." OR "First outside, then grown ups" So this way it helps them to keep track and then slowly but surely, they don't need the reminders anymore.
What are some of your tips?
We're looking forward to learning together this September, because Three R's ELC is where learning is fun!