It is the time of year for children to be going back to school or starting school for the very first time. The relaxing days of summer are over and the new experiences of the school year are about to begin. With these changes all families will have adjustments to make. There are things you can do to make these changes happen smoothly and make the experience more enjoyable for you and your child.

Have a positive attitude about the beginning of school! Children will feel more secure about going to school if you are enthusiastic and confident. Many schools hold an open house before the beginning of the year. Attending an open house is a wonderful opportunity for your child to meet their teacher and see the school. This is also a good opportunity for you to meet the teacher and get involved with your child's school. (Children who have parents that are involved at school do better academically.) Try to arrange a play date for your child with a few of the children he/she will be going to school with. It can be comforting for a child to have a friend at school. Your child might also enjoy having a family photo to carry to school just in case they miss you during the day. These few tips will help your child to feel more secure with the very first days of school.

Talk to your child about your expectations for when school starts. Help children to prepare for the time change by starting an early bedtime, as well as an early wake up time. Make bedtime fun by getting new books to read or a new stuffed animal to sleep with. Involve children in helping pick out their clothes the night before. Develop a morning routine, being specific about what needs to be done and in what order. Try taking photographs of your child during their morning routine ( i.e.- dressing, making bed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, getting lunch and backpack and saying goodbye) and making a picture timeline for him/her to follow. It will also help if you are ready ahead of time and are available to help guide your child through this new morning routine. These steps should ensure a good start to the day.

Last, but not least, children need to know what to expect at the end of the day. If you will be picking your child up, make every effort to be there a little early and designate a meeting spot at the school.
If your child will be riding the bus, reassure them that there will be someone there to help them get on the bus. Make sure your child knows who will be waiting for him/her when they get home. Provide a special after-school-snack or dinner to be enjoyed at the end of an exciting day. Then be available with lots of free time for your child to tell you all about their first day of school. You may even want to help your child create a "first day at school" book with pictures and samples of work to remember this exciting day. This book can then be used at the beginning of the next school year to remind your child that going to school is fun.

Some good books about starting school you can read with your child are:
Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen
My First Day of School by Patrick Halliman
When You Go To Kindergarten by James Howe
A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik