Before we enter Munchkinville or Kindergarten as most of you know it, I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by. This is going to be very informal and a peak into Kinder life. By no means am I writer, which means there will be some typos, inappropriate sentence structure, wrong punctuation, blah blah, and quirky comments on my part... so I hope you take what you can from my blogs. Feel free to follow, comment, or ask any questions you may have.
I hope this blog site will help you, the reader, understand life in Kindergarten and help answer any questions mommy's and daddy's may have about the transition into Kindergarten and how you can help your munchkin. Beginning school should be as smooth as possible for your child and for yourself. Also, it will help me vent as I kick and scream starting off a new school year. Yes, teachers also kick and scream, at least I do! It helps me get in tune with my inner 5 year old. Heehee :)
What I've seen...Parents usually have the hardest time entering Kindergarten or I should say leaving their munckin. Kids may be nervous and scared but they feed off of mom and dad's emotions. Preparing your child to enter school is one of the most important things to do. If you have the means to place your child in any form of daycare or PreK please do so. This will help your child and yourself deal with and work through any separation or anxiety issues that may develop. It will also help your child learn to interact with other children, learn to follow rules, and develop their social skills. If you do not have the means then start talking to your child and working with them. Parents...don't wait until the night before to do this!! Start now during the summer. Begin a daily routine with them.
- Read each night to them. The more expression you put into your storytelling the better! Don't worry, you're the only one who feels silly doing it! Kids love it when you do different voices and faces. It keeps them captivated and draws their attention to the story and this is when they start saying, "Again! Again!" This is how the love of reading begins.
- Put your munchkin to bed EARLY! I remember my brother and I were put to bed at 7:30 and it there was still light out...hated it! We would be in bed and we tried every trick in the book to stay awake; "I'm hungry," "I want some water," "have to go to the bathroom," but there was no budging from our parents and we eventually feel asleep. A good nights sleep is best for your munchkin, the teacher, and yourself. Munchkins from ages 3-6 need from 10-12 hours of sleep. Yikes, that sounds like a lot, but it helps their development, behavior, and temperament. It also helps your sanity...the earlier they are down, the more time you have to do other things.
- Take your child to buy a fun little alarm clock to help with the morning wake up. Waking up each morning is probably like a boxing match...he's up...then he's knocked out.. he's up.. here comes a jab, then a right hook with a grunt...then he's knocked out again and sometimes...down for the count!
- Help your munchkin become independent. Let your munchkin do things for themselves, you would be surprised how independent they can be at such an early age. If they don't already, let them pick out their clothes and dress themselves. My nephew started visiting from Houston when he was 4 and he would pick what he would wear, dress himself and comb his hair, which saved us time and energy!
- Breakfast is key. Whether it's a full breakfast, a bowl of cereal or a breakfast bar, as long as there is something in their tummy to carry them over. I was never big on breakfast and to this day can survive on something small...a yummy doughnut. :)
Just a few little helpful tidbits that you can ease into and begin now before school starts. Parents, you are your child's first teacher!
Till next time!
xoxo
