Key To First Day Of School Success

By Author: Mark Arens
Total Articles: 27
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Two of my favorite pictures were taken the morning of my kid's first day of kindergarten. There is something so wonderful about the first day of school that just needs to be captured on film.

My all-time favorite picture is of those two sitting in the front seat as the bus drove away with their noses smooshed against the window. By then both kids were all smiles, and as we watched our big kids pull away, we were overcome with emotion. They seemed so old, and yet too young. I was so excited for them, and yet sad that our little "play dates" together had come to an end. I knew our relationship would change, but believed with my whole heart they were exactly where they were supposed to be.

We have experienced a lot of kindergarten success. Thanks to an amazing teacher (for all four of my kids!) and preparation ahead of time, my kids were excited and ready for their first day of kindergarten. Here are some of the ways we prepared for our first day of school and ushered in kindergarten success:

1. Plan a special first day of school breakfast. Whether it is chocolate chip pancakes or chocolate milk instead ...
... of regular, we do something out of the ordinary for breakfast on the first day of school. This ensures that the kids eat a breakfast to get them through a new routine and also creates an excited atmosphere that will encourage and lift them as well.
2. Pick out a new first day of school outfit. Even the boys get excited about a new t-shirt or shoes. I let each kid choose their new "kindergarten backpack" since they hadn't used backpacks in preschool this was a big deal. I let my kids wear whatever they want, within reason, for their first day of school. This ensures that they are comfortable and feel good about themselves.
3. Talk through their first day of school questions as many times as they need to. Abby was terrified that she might have to go to the bathroom at school and that she either wouldn't make it or wouldn't remember where it was. To help her feel better, we packed extra "just in case" clothes and I reassured her over and over again that she was always allowed to go to the bathroom and just to ask. Will couldn't wait to be allowed to use the classroom computers and wanted to know exactly when that time would be. We read through their classroom schedule several times, and I prepared him for what came before computer time so he would know when it was coming. When they arrived home after their first day of school, the transitions for both their situations had happened so seamlessly that neither of them remembered it had even been an issue just a few hours before.
4. Pack a first day of school note in their lunch bag. Our school doesn't allow children to bring items from home so packing a special blanket or stuffed animal was not an option. Instead, I write little "love notes" to my kids and stick them in their lunch bags. Even my eight-year-old boy complains when I go too long without giving him a note (his same aged girl cousin asked my sister to stop writing notes somewhere in the middle of first grade, so I count myself blessed!) Sometimes the notes remind them to turn in their homework, sometimes they are just a smiley face, but they always let them know I am thinking of them, and that I love them. I always send notes the first several days of school and then sporadically thereafter.
5. Plan a special treat for after the first day of school. I think my kids enjoy coming home from that first day of school as much as they enjoy going. They know, that only on the first day, there will be some yummy treat waiting for them when they get off the bus. This year it was ice cream brownies, last year it was chocolate chip cookies. I don't think they care too much what it is, but they know we will sit around the kitchen table and share about the first day of school. We protect that first 20 minutes after school to tell fun stories and talk through the hurts. I have realized that if we don't share right after school, I lose my opportunity to hear about their day.
6. Pray! Pray with your kids everyday. But I especially encourage you to pray the morning they leave for their first day of kindergarten or first day of school. We pray at breakfast, we pray while we wait for the bus, I pray while they are at school, and we thank God for a great day that evening. My kids get great comfort from knowing that, although I cannot go to school with them, God can and that they are truly never alone, but always have the unconditional love of Jesus Christ encouraging and helping them throughout the day.

Many children, especially those with older children, have longed for the right of passage that comes with kindergarten success. Whether your child is fearful or excited, establishing some rituals that bring both excitement and a sense of calmness to the first day of school will encourage your child to love school and the fun and success it brings!
Mark Arens, the man with a heart for kids, a hand for parents and a "thumbs up" for families, has great resources to help your child's first day of school happen smoothly. Thumbpeople, Inc. Come check us out: http://www.first-day-of-school.com