Watching your child start school can be a daunting time for parents and kids alike. Here are some skills that will help them prepare for the big day.
I can’t believe my baby is starting big school at the end of the summer. I well up when I think about where he will sit in his classroom and who his new friends will be.
It is a total mix of pride and anxiety on my part, but I know he is ready for this next step in his life. Big school just sounds so huge.
It’s our greatest milestone to date and a sure sign that our baby has become a big boy.
When my son started preschool there were a couple of things he needed to be able to do. He had to be toilet-trained first and foremost and that was the very thing that spurred us to do it.
Now that he will be starting big school, there are particular skills that I need to help him with too.
These things were not on my mind until we attended a playdate/settling in day at his new school and the principal mentioned them.
We were encouraged to do some of these things during the summer to help the transition when the big day comes. I thought it would be a good idea to share them as it might just help you out too.
Eating Lunch Independently
I had never really thought about this one, but it actually makes a great deal of sense. We have been encouraged to offer lunch items and snacks that our kids can eat by themselves to help them get used to the idea of feeding themselves when they are at school.
A lot of the time, I’ll give sandwiches and things my son can manage by himself but there are extra snacks which he needs me to help him with. I’ve recently been putting this into action and specifically offering and buying things that he can manage by himself.
Opening Their Lunch Box And School Bag
The principal also made a good point about picking up a school bag and lunch box that the children will be able to open themselves.
Again, this had never occurred to me. It’s made me consider buying his school bag earlier in the summer so that we can practice zipping it open and closed before he starts big school.
Number Twos…
OK so the school never mentioned this but I’m sure I am not alone in having a five-year-old who has not quite mastered the art of wiping himself properly after he’s done a number two. We always help him. We won’t be able to do so when he is in big school so this is something we plan to give lots of attention to over the summer to help him learn how to do it properly. It’s a life skill after all!