Preparing for Kindergarten; Mom Recommends....

I'm seeing pamphlets & email's and all the hoopla about How to prepare your child for Kindergarten.  I revolt! A revision is in order and should read How to Prepare Parents & the Child for Kindergarten?

It must be culture shock to both parent and child that has never had any other formal Pre-Schooling prior to Kindergarten. In our case, Ryder went to Pre-K4, Pre-K3, 2y/o and MMO starting at 18 months old.... My misconception of Kindergarten has caused me to fail my child and his expectation of what Kindergarten should be. So these are my recommendations or suggestions on changes to help with Kindergarten Culture Shock; Parent and Child.

1. Kindergarten Practice Camp or Consider Starting Kindergarten 1st day of School several days earlier than other grades- Start Kindergarten a few days earlier, to give the new kids on the block a chance to learn where to go in the morning & afternoon and at lunch time. This will be less confusion and will help with any pressure that the K students might fee. The other grades know what to do from being there the year prior. Focus on teaching the K kids the rules. raising your hand before talking, standing in single file line, bathroom time and breaks, lunch room rules and meal time........

2. EARLY SUMMER Parent / Student Orientation:  Pre-pare parents for what is to come during the Kindergarten year, learning & curriculum & Units info, Reading SOAR (summertime reading),  this will help parents and children that have not had any other formal pre-school background be better prepared. Students are not so overwhelmed & shocked with the size of the school and are anxious through out the summer of starting Kindergarten, it gives them something to look forward to all summer long. There imaginations can settle a bit so they know a little bit about what to expect.  s.

3. Teacher Classroom Meet and Greet (not the night before 1st day of school.)-Paperwork is necessary for the first day of school for emergency situations, but the parents havfe enough going on the night before school starts on the first day of Kindergarten. Any paperwork that needs returning to school should be giving days before the first day. School Supplies Lists, etc. Then teachers can spend less time preparing for Orientation and more time preparing for lesson planning and first week activities. No one is rushed the night before school starts or late getting to bed and everyone is rested well. Parents are missing important stuff just trying to get the papers that have to be filled out back to school. Everything else is over looked and it's information overload.

4. Curriculum - (CCSS is new and different so prepare the parents.)  Information about Curriculum: Explain the K curriculum in more detail, maybe give them a list of words that will be new to them. Both Parent and Child. I call this my Foriengn Langage of Kindergarten Word List. Maybe they can have time to research this over the summer to get familiar.

5. Check Out Library Books about First Day of School or Starting a New School.

6. Practice New Routines

7. Don't Drag Out "Goodbye" the first few days of school. Just walk-away. This is hard for both child and parent. Both can experience separation anxiety during the Kindergarten transition.