Anyway, here is what we have done to get JD ready for pre-school.
- When we were deciding on a school, I took JD along on the tour. While I talked to the teacher, he watched the kids paint and checked out all of the toys. As we were leaving, they were getting ready for snack. He was so sad that he couldn't stay for the special Cars pretzels they were having that he still talks about going to "school snack".
- We read about school. Today, his favorite is Froggy Goes To School.
He will be very upset when he realizes that he is not going on a "SCHOOL BUS!!!!!" (Why does every book about school have a bus? We live two blocks from the elementary school, so he won't get a bus then either.)
- We got a lunch box (even though he doesn't need it, but I read about it at Baby Rabies and had to have it) and a backpack. Most days I find him in his room after nap ready to "go school".
- JD knows that he will be a "Guppy" and that his teacher's name is Miss Lorraine. It sounds like "Mess Irene" when he says it, but it's close enough and kind of relevant. I want him to feel like he knows her before he gets there, so we talk about what he will do with Miss Lorraine (paint, sing, SNACK), and he talks about showing her his lunch box and "packpack".
- I sign JD (and O) up for every class available at our local library. They are great for introducing structure, playtime with kids his age, and a student/teacher relationship. Before each class (and also his My Gym classes), we talk about listening to the teacher, taking turns, and sitting at circle time (our biggest challenge). Even in a new class or with a new teacher, I can see that JD identifies the authority figure in the room and he knows that listening to them will usually lead to good things.
and something I WILL do since I don't know any moms sending their kids to our pre-school: After orientation, I will (get over my own nervousness and) set up a playdate with someone in his class so there will be a familiar face on the first day. Our school does allow moms to come in if they want to, but I know the best things would be to kiss him goodbye at the door and leave.
JD's first day is Sept. 13th, so you know I will be a mess sharing how it goes.
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| off to school |
You're not making me feel any better about my kid NOT going to school. Isn't JD a few months younger than Evan?!
ReplyDeleteI love the tip about signing up for classes so he can learn to identify the person in charge. That is a GREAT idea and we need to work on that right away.
@SuzanneI had two main motivators for signing him up. 1- I am supposed to go back to teaching next year, and I'm hoping this will ease that transition. 2- O has never had an activity with his age group because JD would take it over, so I will use the JD-free time to take O to a local storytime and his own My Gym class.
ReplyDeleteOh- and something else about identifying the person in charge... EVERY class we have ever attended has only had female teachers. I'm really curious to see what happens the first time one of them has a male authority figure besides their dad.
precious! how old is your son? saying a prayer that you are strong the first day of school. :)
ReplyDeletethanks so much for stopping by during my SITS Day. I hope you will visit again sometime.