Northern Hills Xmas 2014 December Xmas Issue 2014 | Page 49

sure a school staff member is ready to help your child with the transfer from your care to the classroom. F  ind out how the school structures its daily schedule. Many preschools begin with a daily ritual, such as “circle time” (when teachers and children talk about what they did the day before, and that day’s activities), to ease the move from home to school. Tips for Tear-Free Goodbyes Saying goodbye on that first day can be the hardest moment for parents and children. Here are five tips on how to ease the separation anxiety. R  eintroduce the teacher to your child. Allow them to form an initial relationship. Make it clear that you trust the teacher and are at ease with her watching your child. B  ring a friend from home. Ask the teacher whether your child can bring along a stuffed animal to keep in her cubby in case she needs comforting. It shouldn’t be her favourite one, though, because there’s no guarantee it will come home in one piece. Other favourite choices include a family picture, a special doll, or a favourite blanket. WWW.NORTHERNHILLS.CO.ZA W  hen it’s time to go, make sure to say good-bye to your child. Never sneak out. As tempting as it may be, leaving without saying goodbye to your child risks her trust in you. O  nce you say good-bye, leave promptly. A long farewell scene might only serve to reinforce a child’s sense that preschool is a bad place. E  xpress your ease with leaving. Some parents wave from outside the classroom window or make a funny good-bye face. D  on’t linger. The longer you stay, the harder it is. Let your child know that you’ll be there to pick her up, and say “See you later!” once she’s gotten involved in an activity. C  reate your own ritual. One of the moms in Louise Venter’s class, in Cape Town, says goodbye to her son the same way every day: She kisses him on the lips and gives him a butterfly kiss (her eyelashes on his cheek), and then they rub noses and hug. When the embrace is over, he knows it’s time for her to go to work. L earn the other kids’ names. When you can call your child’s classmates by name (“Look, Matthew, there is a space at the train table with Eli and IMAGE: www.depositphotos.com Reintroduce the teacher to your child and Allow them to form an initial relationship Katie”), it makes school seem much more familiar and safe. Security Alert: Bringing Comfort Objects from Home Being away from home for the first time isn’t easy, so send your child off with a discreet little memento to help him handle it better. L eave the lovey at home: Get a T-shirt made with a picture of her Woof or Teddy A  pic is worth a thousand words: Tuck one away inside his cubby or hang a photo key chain on his backpack zipper. L unch-box love notes are a great way to let your child know you’re thinking of her while she’s at school. L ittle kid toys: He might not be allowed to take his favourite car into the classroom, but he can keep it safely in his backpack. B  lanket statement: Cut a tiny piece off her blankie that she can keep in her pocket and touch when she needs a pick-me-up. T  ime will tell: His own digital watch will make him feel like a big boy, and he can look at it every so often to rem