Dr. Lauren Padesky’s Top Tips for Families!
The transition to kindergarten is so exciting! Your keiki is going to “big kid” school now and they are so ready to enjoy new experiences at kindergarten. You might be a little nervous about this change, but there are many positive things to look forward to, as well. It is so wonderful to watch your keiki learn to navigate new friendships, discover the joys of reading, writing, and math, and build strong relationships with their teachers – and there are lots of ways that you can help your keiki start the year off on the right foot. Here are a few ideas:
- Practice Self-Reliance Skills: As grownups, we take it for granted that we can unscrew our water bottle cap or open a packet of fruit snacks, but those types of tasks are actually a big challenge for keiki! Help your child feel ready for new experiences like hanging up their own backpacks on a hook, carrying a lunch tray, opening food packages and milk cartons, tying shoes, and other self-reliance tasks.
- Navigate Social What-Ifs: As keiki learn and play together, they are naturally exposed to normal types of conflict that can feel scary and unfamiliar. Help your keiki grow their social intelligence by talking through and role-playing with What If scenarios and how to handle them. For example, you might ask your child, “What if you see another child on the playground fall down? What can you do?” or “What if you’re playing with a toy and someone takes it without asking?” Then, problem-solve with your child how to manage those experiences in age-appropriate ways. This especially helps to reduce anxiety about the unknown, as well as showing your child that you will work with them on any problem they might encounter.
- Emphasize the Positives: There is lots to prepare your keiki for as they enter kindergarten, but there is also lots of fun to be had! Read books with your child about going to kindergarten and discuss all the fun activities you observe in the texts. Imagine with your child all the neat activities they might get to do, such as, “Maybe you will get to draw pictures!” and “I think you’re going to love playing outside at recess.”