Preschool is About Almost Here
So it has happened summer is ending and the first day of school is just around the corner. Are you panicking? Regretting sending in your paperwork? Trying to figure out a way out of this preschool thing? OR are you so excited you can't hardly contain yourself? If you answered any of the former than I am hoping I can help maybe just a little bit.
First, lets change our way of thinking, lets be excited, especially around our future preschooler, they pick up on your tension so take a deep breath and RELAX. Try and focus on the positives, the fun things they will learn in preschool, the friends they will make and the awesome new things they will get to do. And let's not forget about you, you get two and half hours to yourself, you can do so much with that time, take a shower, shopping, reading a book or even making an uninterrupted phone call.
Second, if you haven't already you should really go back in time and read through some of these blog posts. Not only will they give you an idea of their day, but more importantly there is a post from January 31st titled "After you Say Goodbye". It will remind you that this is the first time for lots of kids, mommies and daddies, but not for your new teachers. So anything that your new preschooler throws at us is going to be okay. Even if they cling to you with a grip you only thought Superman had or scream and cry all while hiding under a table. It will all work out, and every other parent there will understand, because believe me ALL kids are going to try something like this at one time or another and well, the first day of school just might be your day. Repeat after me IT WILL ALL BE OKAY!!
Third, it had to happen sometime. At some point in your child's life you are going to have to send them off on their own without you. Unfortunately this is not something that delaying makes better. (Well unless you can somehow manage to stick by their side every moment until they are 18 and then you might get away with no angst ever.) They are several totally awesome things about doing it now. First you should know that Kim and I are experts on distraction, we can get the most unhappy child doing a 180 in just a few short minutes.
Also preschoolers have really short memories so none of their new friends are going remember them as the kid who ran screaming from the room and cried. Your child's fellow preschoolers will instead feel empathy for them, they will try and make them feel better and they will still want to play with them no mater what.
Kim and I say all the time this is the place for them to make all their mistakes and to LEARN so that when they get to Big Kid school with all those kids who will remember them FOREVER they can breeze right through and have the time of their lives.
There are so many more reasons why sending them to preschool is an awesome decision, but you get the idea. The growth you will see this coming year will amaze you and melt your heart all at the same time. Your preschooler has an awesome year ahead of them and I can't wait to see what it shapes up to look like.
