Your baby started crawling, and then suddenly became a walking and talking toddler. Now your baby is a big kid, as they probably like reminding you, and they're starting preschool! It can be an emotional time for parents. Your little girl or boy is suddenly so big and seems so grown up. On one hand, it makes you nostalgic about when they were little, and sad about them growing up. On the other hand, it's an exciting time as well. Here's some information and advice to help you, as a parent, cope as your child starts preschool.
Be Enthusiastic
Starting preschool is a major milestone. Your child is no longer a little kid who stays at home. They are starting their formal education now, and will be a student for at least the next fifteen years! The attitudes that they form about learning now will influence them as they later begin real school, and study throughout their lives. Even if you have mixed feeling, it's important to be excited for their sake and to help them to be enthusiastic about going to preschool. And it is exciting! Preschool aged kids learn at an astounding rate. Your child will have the opportunity to learn new things every time they go to preschool, ranging from facts and school type abilities to world understanding to social skills.
Reinforce Learning At Home
Be excited with your child. Be involved in what they are learning. If, for example, they are learning about dinosaurs in preschool, carry on the dinosaur theme at home. Go to the library and check out books like Dinosaur Roar. Watch shows like The Land Before Time together. Discover the Harry & His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs empire. Go on walks taking big dinosaur steps. If they learn a particular letter, look for ways to use that letter together at home. This will help your child's learning, and will help you to feel more involved with them.
Admit Your Feelings
Recognize that it's ok for you to have mixed feelings about your child starting preschool. You can be excited and sad about it. You can be happy for them, and still cry the first time you watch them walk into their preschool with their new school bag on their back. It's just part of being a parent. It's part of your child growing up. And that's ok. It's the way it's supposed to be. If you're still having a hard time adjusting after the first week, try talking to another parent about it.
Stay Busy
Another important thing you can do to cope with your child starting preschool is to use the time well. Don't just sit around at home thinking how weird it is that they're not there. If you have younger children, make it a special time for them when they can get more individual attention. Focus on activities that are more suited for their age group. If you don't have other kids at home, then use the time productively for you. It may be that this is a good time to start taking a class, begin that exercise program you keep talking about, or work on a hobby that you normally don't have time for. Or you can use the time to work: whether you already have a job that needs your attention, or whether you want to go back to work on a part time basis, or are interested in some freelance work like writing, tutoring, etc. Make it an important time for you.
Although it can be emotional when they first start, you will find yourself adjusting to having a preschooler.