Tips to Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten

As August starts, many people start to think about school. More and more schools are starting in the middle of August instead of the beginning of September. This only gives us a few weeks to get our children ready for Kindergarten.

So, what can you do to help your child get ready? Here are some tips that you can try.

Start a routine. Children need routines, so having one is important to prepare them for Kindergarten. You may need to start putting them to bed earlier, so they can wake up earlier.

You should give your Kindergartener a few weeks to get used to this new routine BEFORE school starts, or you will send a grumpy child to school on the first day.

This may even include getting rid of nap times. Though your child may have rest or quiet time in school, he or she isn't going to be able to take any naps during the day. It is going to make everyone's day easier if your child is already used to life without naps.

Don't be afraid to ask your child how he or she is feeling. Kindergarten can be very scary for children, so it is important to talk to him or her about school. Ask him or her questions to figure out what is the most scary part about it, so that you can talk about these things before the first day of school.

Don't overdo it, though. Some children will panic if all you do is talk about school and their feelings. For this reason, make sure that your child knows that he or she can talk to you whenever necessary. Otherwise, focus on spending lots of quality time with your child before school starts. 

Work on your child's independence. When your child is going to be at school, you won't be around to help him or her do everything. So, you need to make sure that you take the next few weeks to work on washing his or her hands, eating without help, and even tieing his or her own shoelaces.

You also want to teach your child that he or she can ask for help. Your child is going to need to learn to ask for help, whether he or she needs some help with the work or even just when he or she needs to go to the bathroom. You will need to let them know that his or her teacher is there to help - no matter what is needed. You may want to have your child practice asking for help, so it is easier when the time comes.

Make sure that reading is a part of your life. Your child needs to spend time everyday reading, whether you read comics together or read age-appropriate books. You may even be able to find a few books about going to Kindergarten and school for the first time! 

Reading is the basics of all that our children learn in school, so the more that they are read to, the better off they will be.

Going off to Kindergarten is a scary and exciting time in a child's life. Many are scared of the unknown, but many are excited to meet new friends and learn. However, before school starts, you need to make sure that your child is ready.

To do that, you need to get into a good routine. Your child needs to be in bed at a decent time, so that he or she is awake and ready for school. You may want to get your child up at the right time to ensure that he or she will be awake for school. 

You also should take this time to talk to your child about school and how he or she is feeling. Don't overdo it, because you also want to enjoy these last few weeks of summer. Make sure that reading is an important part of your day. You are setting your child up for success if you read to him or her regularly.

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Previously published at Medium and/or Newsbreak.