Calming Those Kindegarten Jitters

Written by Laura Kew

Reassure your child that you will return when the class is over, and keep your promise by being on time.

It’s heartbreaking for the child whose parent is the last one to show up.

Separation problems are usually very short lived provided the child experiences consistency and consideration in the process. Acknowledging that they might be having a hard time, and helping them to put some names to their emotions can help the child to understand that it’s okay to feel lonely and unsure. After all, they have had the past five years of knowing and trusting their parents; and then suddenly they are being sent away to a big scary place with lots of people who are much bigger than they are.

Giving your child real ways to cope helps in their development of resiliency, which is vital to their ability to deal with other situations that they may encounter. Resiliency is important for children to be able to adapt to new environments and situations, and also comes into play when forming new friendships at school.

Try giving your child a favorite family photo to hold for the day, or a small object that they can look at and remind them that you’re coming back soon. Giving them a kiss into their hand and then closing their fingers around it can be reassuring; or find your own special way of helping your child remember that you love and care about them during the day. It’s a big scary world out there for a kindergarten child - give them the best support that you can to help them in a happy start into school.

If most of the tears belong to the parent - make sure you have some tissues in your pocket, and the loving support of a spouse or friend to call after you’ve left the school. Realize that it’s hard to let your little one go off into the vast world out there, and this is only their first small step towards growing up and learning to be independent. It’s okay to have your own tears; they are the symbol of your care and concern for your child, and the knowledge that they are growing and developing just as they should. And remember that the ultimate goal of parenting is to work yourself out of a job!