When children first start preschool, families often worry: Will they eat enough? Will they miss us? Will they get bullied?… After pick-up, many new topics arise. To help children better adapt to group life at preschool, we offer the following "Five Dos" and "No Taboos" for parents' reference.
"Five Dos"
1.Walk home
After spending the whole day away from family, children may act clingy upon reunion. While a warm hug is welcome, insist that your child walk home independently. Children this age are fully capable of walking home on their own. This practice also sends a psychological signal that they are growing up, fostering emotional maturity.
2. Maintain Calm
Starting kindergarten is a significant family event. It's normal for children to show signs of adjustment difficulties initially. Their adaptation is often influenced by the environment and adult attitudes. After picking up your child, try to maintain the usual peaceful atmosphere at home. Avoid overly emphasizing concerns about kindergarten, which could heighten their anxiety.A parent's calm demeanor creates a supportive external environment for the child to adapt quickly to kindergarten life. 3. Share the Joy Entering an unfamiliar environment can cause psychological pressure for children. The best way to alleviate this pressure is to ease their nervousness. When the child returns home, parents should consciously guide them to recall the happy moments from their day at kindergarten. For example: "Did you meet any new friends?" "What fun games did the teacher lead you in?"Sharing these experiences with calm, slightly envious enthusiasm helps children build positive emotional associations and adapt more quickly to kindergarten life. 4. Proactive Communication To help children adjust to their new environment, parents should actively engage in conversation. Discuss their day at kindergarten, talk about new friends they've made, tell stories they enjoy, or play fun games together—these interactions are essential.
5. Active Cooperation
Kindergarten life differs significantly from home life. Parents should proactively learn about their child's daily activities, games, and learning experiences at kindergarten. Gain a deeper understanding of the kindergarten's expectations for children and actively cooperate with the kindergarten. It is essential to maintain consistent and unified expectations for your child both at home and at kindergarten.
Five Things to Avoid
1. Sweet Drink Waiting
We often see parents holding a bottle of sweet drink when picking up their child, fearing the child didn't drink enough water at kindergarten. In fact, daily "sweet drink waiting" actually disrupts the child's normal hydration routine at kindergarten. Over time, this can affect the child's health. We advocate for children to drink plain water, as it contains essential trace elements that beverages lack.
2. Grilling Questions
It's understandable for families to miss their children after a full day apart. However, bombarding children with questions upon pickup not only annoys them but also reinforces feelings of "unfamiliarity" with kindergarten. Children's emotions are influenced by their surroundings, and adults' tension or unusual behavior can directly affect them, causing anxiety.
3. Indulging and Pampering
When children feel unhappy, they often throw tantrums for no apparent reason. New kindergarteners may also exhibit "acting spoiled" or "being stubborn." At such times, parents should not respond with sympathy. Instead, redirect their attention to alleviate their distress. Avoid indulging or pampering the child.
4. Snack Compensation
Some parents, fearing their child won't eat enough at kindergarten, present an array of snacks for them to choose from upon returning home. This practice actually discourages proper dinner consumption. With daily snack supplements, children may "save room" during kindergarten meals, which can negatively impact their health over time.
5. Taking One-Sided Accounts at Face Value
Parents may feel uneasy about newly enrolled children and bombard them with questions. Children at this stage often confuse imagination with reality, leading them to give answers that don't match the facts.
For example, when conflicts arise among children, a child might say, "So-and-so hit me." In such situations, parents should avoid taking one-sided accounts at face value.Additionally, children often answer questions by focusing on the end of the query. For example, if an adult asks, "Did you wet your pants today?" the child might reply, "Yes, I did." Or if asked, "Did you eat enough?" they might simply say, "Yes." Therefore, it's advisable for parents to communicate frequently with teachers to gain an objective understanding of their child's situation at kindergarten, thereby avoiding unnecessary misunderstandings.