First day of school: Settling in

 As an early years practitioner, I've survived a couple years settling in screaming preschoolers.

I've seen it all!

The quiet- resistant ones who do not want anyone close to them or speaking to them, the ones who bolt through the door and run out screaming "MUMMY!" the ones who throw themselves on the floor screaming at the top of their lungs, and, my favourite, the ones who walk in ready to have an adventure!

The truth is, even after a handful of years, it is still a challenging process. What helps is the confidence I've gathered from experience, knowing that the children will settle with consistent support.

Here are a few tips to help both parents and practitioners:

PARENTS:

1. It helps to start preparing your child a few weeks before. You could go shopping for school supplies and talk about how excited you are about school.

2. Attend parent evenings or open days with your child to get them familiar with the setting and the teacher

3. On the day, if your child walks in confidently, great! If they don't, you may stay for a bit longer if the setting permits and after you comfort your child. Give them a firm hug, say goodbye with a kiss, hand them over to the teacher and walk away. DO NOT PANIC; your child is in safe hands :)

TEACHERS:

1. Prepare a routine for the first week of school. It should be a flexible routine, very open, but reasonably structured so that children start understanding how the school will run from the very first day. Meal times, playtime and carpet time are examples of activities to add to your routine.

2. Depending on the policy of your setting, be confident and firm in telling parents when it's time for them to let the children settle in. Agree on the next steps should the child fail to settle in after a certain period. This could include calling the parent for an early pick-up or asking for their comforter (snuggly toy or blankie).

3. Be their friend. It's an overwhelming experience for the little ones, ALWAYS. Take time to comfort, get to know them and win their trust.

I hope you have a smooth first week of school!

Don't forget to take a breather every now and then :)