On Thursday, my daughter attended preschool for the first time. I walked out of the door and left her crying. I sat in the preschool parking lot for fifteen minutes crying myself. I know that preschool is a good choice for her and that she will love it given time. However, leaving your child at a strange place with unfamiliar people can be a very heartbreaking situation.
My daughter yelled out for me several times as I exited the building. However, I knew that the best thing that I could do for her was to leave quickly. I preach it several times each year to my kindergarten parents. I knew that I had to take my own advice. This year, I found out just how hard it really is to do.
Some of you may find yourselves in a similar situation with school beginning back very soon. It will be very tempting to hang around and watch your child get settled into the class. However prolonged good-byes only make things harder for you and your child.
Nine times out of ten children will stop crying within fifteen minutes after their parents leave. I suggest leaving the room, giving your child time to settle, and calling back to see how things are going. This is exactly what I did Thursday. My daughter had stopped crying and was playing. Granted she was not as happy as I had wished her to be, but she was not crying.
It is important to be as positive about school as possible with your child. Do not let your child hear negative comments about the teacher. Even if there are things that you do not agree with at the school, never let your know. When talking about school, always tell your child how much fun he or she will have and how great of a place it is. Your attitude will reflect on your child.
We Went Shopping for Preschool