I am dreading the day my daughter must leave me to enter kindergarten. I have one more year with her and I am already preparing myself for that fateful day. If you have a shy child that hasn’t spent much time with other people his or her age, it’s not too late to help find a way to socialize them before school begins. Here are a few tips on how to help your little one break the ice.
If you have the time and money, put your child into daycare, if only for a few hours a week. I stay home with my daughter because I am financially able to do so, not because I am anti-daycare. There are many wonderful professionals out there who love to care for and nurture other people’s children. Don’t believe all the horror stories you've seen on the evening news. These scenarios are the exception, not the rule. If you are still feeling a little apprehensive, ask a trusted friend or coworker where they bring their own children. Try it out for a week. That short amount of time will do wonders to help your children learn to play nicely with others.
Set up play dates with other mommies in the neighborhood. I made some great friends through this method. Start off slowly. Ask the parent and child pairing over for an hour or so. If the kids get along, that is wonderful. If not, invite them over again anyway. It is really crucial to help your little one understand that he or she is not always going to get along with other children. Most times this will not be the case, and your child will gain a new friend to watch for on that first scary day of school.
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I am in the midst of teaching my daughter three very important lessons. 1. She is not the center of the universe. As an only child, my daughter has been spoiled and doted on her entire short life. This is not going to be the case when she is one of 15 or 20 other children in a hectic classroom. 2. Patience. Patience is not a virtue that any child possesses. It is something that must be taught, and that is going to be one difficult lesson. 3. Sharing. This is where my 14 month old niece has really come in handy. She will inevitably go after my daughter’s favorite toy when she is at our house for a visit. This is the point where a fight generally breaks out, and ends in screaming, tears, and trips to the "time out" chair.
The road to
socializing your child before kindergarten is not going to be a smooth one. You will thank yourself later when you are not the one being called to the principal’s office.
Tags:
children