10 • The Beacon August 24 , 2023

I ’ ll be the first to admit — I am so glad our first days of school are over . As scary as it is to send your little one to kindergarten , it is a thousand times worse when your little one can ’ t communicate easily . You are constantly worried someone will be mean to your child and you won ’ t know .

You wonder if the teacher will love your child , if he / she will be patient , if they will communicate with you when things are going wrong and right . What if your child has behaviors ? Will the teacher give up ? Will your child be scared in a new room or new school ? The list is endless . So here are my ideas to make your first day of school go a little smoother for you , your child and your child ’ s teacher .

It sounds simple but go meet the teacher . Take your child to the school ’ s open house or ask to go a different day if the crowds will overwhelm your child . Let your child explore the classroom and see where his / her desk

is . If you can , take pictures of everything — the teacher , the aide , the desks , a bus , the bathrooms , anything your child may need . You can make a simple book for your child to look through before school starts so he / she becomes a little more familiar with what they will see every day .

Schedule a time to talk to the teacher and share everything about your child . Make sure you share the good — he loves music , she loves to draw — with your concerns . If your child is a runner , make sure the teacher is aware of this and also of potential triggers that may cause him / her to dart away . For Rob it was usually a loud noise . Casey just liked to run to avoid things she didn ’ t like or didn ’ t want to do . Teachers got a workout with her .

Share if your child has sensory issues or is a picky eater . The teacher has read the IEP , but hearing your concerns will help him / her know your child better . Share what makes your child happy and what scares them . Anything you tell the teacher can help make the school year go much better .

Make yourself available to the teacher . The better relationship the teacher has with the parents , the better for the child . Give the teacher your cell phone number so quick texts can be shared . This will be really useful for you to share important information about your child . You can let the school know if he / she didn ’ t sleep well or refused to eat breakfast . The teacher can be ready for possible behaviors due to hunger or sleepiness .

While it is great to get an update every day on how your child ’ s day was , be understanding . While you may only be concerned with

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Dan Croy Jason R Bradford , CPA