At school, the child already has more tools to connect with other people and make the decisions that he deems appropriate.
For young children it is already difficult to start the nursery stage to enter school, leave their parents, socialize, follow routines, schedules, rules ..., ordered by teachers. They learn to share, to find ways and solutions to problems and daily activities. With all this assimilated, the 3-year-old has to close the door to open another.
The child and his first learnings outside the home
2nd cycle early childhood education es a stage for children from 3 to 6 years old, where they leave kindergarten in the past to face a new challenge. There are many children who are lucky and able to continue with their same teachers and kindergarten classmates on their way to school, but this is not always the case. When children must say goodbye to an environment and habits to which you have adapted, you need support and time so that you can re-assimilate new aspects.
With the school compulsory education begins and there are already more responsibilities for the child. The little one goes from being in a carefree, fun environment, rather leisure, to delving into the normally terrifying “grown-up school”. It is not advisable to use this expression because surely they will instill fear and they will recognize the school as a world separated from it and more serious.
Changes from kindergarten to school
School is a more formal and rigid environment. What until now had practically meant a family where everyone knew each other is transformed into something bigger, where there are more norms, tensions and future conflicts. In the school stage the child follows his personal development and academic. The child is learning to be, to behave and socialize in another environment. The protective layer of your parents is no longer there at all times.
The child who goes to school and perceives and experiences everything new can suffer from the anxiety and separation syndrome, just as it happened in kindergarten. Each change and evolution are one more step for the child, who must fight against his fears and insecurities. Obviously you already have more tools to connect with other people and take the strategic that you think is convenient.
Recommendations to parents to help the child in the transition to school
If there are former kindergarten classmates, neighbors, or family members to start with at the same school, you won't feel so alone.
- The child should be discussed: Explain what is going to happen when you leave kindergarten, what day will start and where will your school be, what activities you will do there, if friends of yours will go ... It is important to take you days before to see the facilities, or at least outside, to see where locate and what will be your new space.
- If you have hermanos or cousins it is optimal to put your example and tell them that they too have gone and are now very happy. It can be explained to them how well they have it and the classes they will have ... It can be explained to them that everyone goes through this change and that it infers more character. Starting school means that you are now older and can do other things that will also attract you and make you feel more empowered.
- If there are former daycare partners, neighbors, or relatives that they go tell them and meet them before starting school to bond and get to know each other more thoroughly. This way, the little one will not feel alone when starting school, nor will he have to cut all ties with people from the nursery.
- You have to ask him and be interested in his fears: The child is probably terrified and will be able to hide it, but the fear will be reflected in other reactions. The child will be more nervous, he will sleep and eat worse, he will want more contact with the parents and it will be difficult for him to leave them. For this reason, you have to ask him how he is doing, try to encourage him and be transparent about his doubts. It is not convenient to talk about less pleasant aspects, you can talk about your own experience.
- Parents should be involved in their child's enrollment in the school: As parents you should go to school, talk to your teachers, know your Time school, materials, books, extracurricular activities ... With all this information they will be able to sit down and talk with the child in an open and clear way and tell him many things about his new school.
- Involve you in the process prior to joining the school: Go with him to buy the uniform, books and school supplies ..., and empathize with him. The child will develop his personal autonomy more strongly. Without forgetting his feelings, you have to let him be and act and give him encouragement. It is not advisable to constantly repeat that you will be with the elders or the obligations that you will have to face. Little by little you will see and understand it.
As parents it is a fundamental requirement let him discover everything that he has in store for himself without overwhelming him, scaring him with experiences, without giving you hypothetical data that may or may not occur. It is even convenient to relativize the transition of stage so that the child better copes with what comes to him. In this case, the child already knows what it is to go to kindergarten, so it will probably cost him a little less to separate for a few hours from his parents.