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It is that time of year again when anxious parents are either dreading the school year beginning again or cannot wait for the big day to come. Daily reminders that school is set to begin soon can be seen in every department store and super center you enter as backpacks and school supplies are the center of attention.

Preparing your child for entering first grade should actually begin during the summer break. The child has only had a small taste of what it means to attend school during their Kindergarten year. Most enjoyed a shortened school day, some getting by with four day school weeks, and most with a daily group nap time.

Begin preparing your child by telling your soon to be first grader how proud you are of him or her that the child wil be starting first grade. Nothing builds a child's self esteem more than praise and knowing the parents are pleased with what he or she accomplishes. Self confident children almost always excel in school and throughout life. Always be positive and happy when you talk about school to the child. It is important you discuss with your child that they will be expected to remember what they learned in Kindergarten and begin learning new things. Explain this means they will go to school a little longer during the day than they did in Kindergarten and perhaps mean they will not be able to take a nap but they will get a recess to play with the other children in their class.

If you are a working parent and cannot be at home as soon as your child returns from school, it is important to explain to the child where they will go after school, how they will get there, and how long they will be there before you arrive to pick them up.

During the month prior to the beginning of the new school year you can help your child by making sure he or she has retained in memory your address and phone number and other information you know the child was expected to learn during Kindergarten. You can make learning fun for your child by using games to go over colors and other information they were expected to learn the prior year. Playing "I Spy" in which you tell the child, "I spy something blue", and have the child look around the room for that item makes for a nice quality time session with your child in which the child will have a lot of fun. Each time the child guesses correctly reward the child with a penny, a nickel, or something that will make it a fun game the child will request to play again. Games like this can be very helpful as your child learns

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