The Kindergarten Survival Guide for Parents
Kindergarten can be scary for kids AND parents. Today I want to give parents seven tips that are fresh on my mind to help them not just survive Kindergarten but really thrive during that first year of school. Here is how to get kids ready for kindergarten from a parent and kindergarten teacher perspective.
My daughter went to Kindergarten this fall. For the very first time, I am a bystander. My control-freak self is having a very difficult time. My child has attended school for the past three years, however, this year was her REAL “first day of school.” When I walked our little girl to preschool each year, there were always reminiscent tears shed to see her so grown up… but then I was able to walk next door into my own classroom.
Tips and tricks for parents joining the ranks of sending kids off to school for the very first time! Share on X
Being a teacher at her school myself, I watched her walk down the hall so proudly with her lunch box in hand, joined her on the playground during recess, and the most fun of all was having my own students to protect her and be her friend. They all played, hugged, and looked out for her, even if I was standing right there.
Being my daughter was a special badge of honor my daughter had no idea she had. This year, however, I am not teaching at her school, and I feel blind as I walk my child into this new experience.
Now I join the ranks of weeping parents who sent their child off to school alone and want to know how they can stay relevant and involved. For this new chapter, we as parents are responsible to give our children our best when it comes to preparing them for their new adventure of attending school in Pre-K or Kindergarten.
How to Get Kids Ready for Kindergarten
1. Be Your Child’s Advocate
Be FIERCE and ready to diplomatically fight for what is important for your child’s safety. Whether it is allergies, bathroom help, etc.., plan to meet with the school nurse, cafeteria staff, and teachers to advocate for a safe and healthy environment for your child.
You know your child’s needs the best and must insist staff and teachers don’t see him or her as just a number. Do not let an administrator or secretary make you feel like you cannot express what is important for your precious child.
The first time I walked into the school office to register my child for school, I had to repeat my requests for orientation information many times before anyone would take me seriously. The school is not a one size fits all system and you cannot expect anyone to go the extra mile for your child.
Make them listen and do your homework to know the programs available at your school and in your district. If you start out the conversation well-informed, then they can’t brush you off.
How to advocate for your child from the very first day of school. Share on X
2. Know the Expectations and Academic Standards
An important way to advocate for your child is to educate yourself on what is expected of your child at their school. Each teacher/administrator/school district is different. This means either print the standards from the school website, or ask the teacher for a list of standards in each content area at the beginning of the year.
This includes both academic and gross/fine motor skills. (Ex. holding a pencil correctly, lining up correctly.) This will help you understand what is expected of your child. Furthermore, you can ask questions of the teacher/administrator before a problem arises. Educate yourself on what the school offers for extra services (ESOL, Advanced Academics, etc.).
3. Get Involved in Your Child’s Classroom Experience
From the very start, ask your child’s teacher how you can partner to help them be successful this year.Do not be the parent who only calls or emails when there is a problem. Let the teacher know when your child talks about something exciting in their class. Volunteer to do an art project, file papers, go on a field trip, or join the PTO.
Whether you are a working or stay at home parent, you can volunteer and offer your skill set to your child’s teacher however that fits your life and schedule. Remember communication is a two-way street. My personal pet peeve as a teacher is parents who never sent back communication folders.
These contain very important information and being on top of the homework/communication/permission slips is a MUST. Back to School night is not just for meeting with the home room teacher; you need to meet the art, music, PE, and library teachers and ask the same questions about how to best help your child.
I had an Art teacher almost fall over backwards she was so surprised I asked her what my child should practice at home to increase the skills she was learning in Art this year. Very rarely do specialists feel supported by parents at home. I guarantee they will love you for the gesture.
For other ways to show appreciation for teachers all year long, click HERE for teacher gifts and donations that will blow them away with your thoughtfulness!
4. Pack Time-Saving Lunches and Snacks Your Child will Love
The time allotted for lunch is condensed more and more each year. When I go eat lunch with my child at school, it is terrible to see the amount of food that wasted simply because students do not have enough time to eat.
To reduce the time crunch, make sure your child can easily open and eat everything you put in their lunch independently.
Better yet, take food out of containers or buy in bulk to save time as well as more environmentally sustainable. Those individual packs of raisins are awesome for snacks on the go, but for every day lunches, they are unnecessary and cost your child valuable eating time.
Buy a lunchbox with many compartments for variety and ease. Make it more exciting with shapes or cups so they love opening their lunch box every day. Finally, include reusable napkins and utensils as well if needed.
*Bonus points: write a quick love note on a post-it and stick it in that lunch bag as well.
Here are a few options for a hassle free and exciting lunch period your child will look forward to:
- Lunchbox
- Reusable Napkins
- Reusable Utensils
- Sandwich crust cutters
- Post-it notes
- Printed Lunchbox Love notes
5. Teach Them the Basics at Home
You REALLY can make your child’s teacher fall in love with you by teaching them a few basic tasks:
- to tie their shoes
- button and zip their clothes
- open food and drinks independently
- write their name
- blow their nose
- wash their hands
- pack their backpacks quickly
A Kindergarten teachers’ day is filled with small tasks for little people and all that extra time can be spent teaching your child to read and write if they are taught the basics at home.
Think about tying both shoes or having to unbutton and re-button pants all day for 20 kids. The more basic skills you teach you child to do independently, the more time your child’s teacher has to maximize academic and social skills.
For a great book on tying shoes, click HERE.
6. Be Aware of Emotions
Also, understand that they may come home and fall apart. I know countless parents who have said, “Wow, I am glad they are being polite with you because they come home with so much ATTITUDE.”
Just like adults when we have a difficult day, we come home and bite off a loved one’s head. Home is a safe place to release the tension of the day.
Allow your child to decompress just like you do after work or a long day. Start with a “welcome home” or “I am so glad to see you.” Let them EAT something before you bombard them with questions about their day or give them chores.
Young children can recharge their batteries with an activity they enjoy. My daughter loves to draw, read, or ride her bike when she gets home.
If you let them have a little down time, they will be much more pleasant when asked to help with chores, go run errands, etc.
7. Keep the Questions to Yourself Until they are Ready
Lets face it, no one likes to be met at the door with 100 questions. It is important to not put children on your timeline. I ask my daughter when she gets in the car after school “do you want to tell me about your day or do you want to tell me later.” I have a LONG list of things I always want to ask, but I give her options.
Choosing a time to talk between after school and bedtime gives them a few hour window. That quality time can be dinner time, bath time, or even before bed. This gives your child the opportunity to relax. Then they are more likely to give you the juicy details you desire. Be strategic about your questions. Never ask a question that can be answered “yes, no, or fine.”
If you need tips on questions to ask, click HERE for a great resource.
If you both are a teary mess or an exhausted wreck the first few weeks, remember this too shall pass. Ease yourself and your child into the new routines. Ask your child what they enjoy most to help both of you see the wonderful side of this new adventure.
Most importantly, your child is going to grow leaps and bounds academically, socially, emotionally, and physically while attending school. You can enjoy this special time knowing they WILL be okay and YOU WILL SURVIVE!
Tips for Reading with Kids
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08/31/2017 @ 11:51 am
My daughter is finally old enough to be enrolled in kindergarten but I have no idea how to choose a school for her or how to get her ready for it. You mentioned to educate yourself on what is expected of your child at their school since every teacher and standards are different. I will keep that in mind as I search for a school that she can enroll into.
08/17/2017 @ 2:03 pm
These are all really excellent tips. I had never thought of visiting the art/pe/music teachers specifically before, but this makes a lot of sense. Thank you for sharing this!
08/17/2017 @ 8:02 am
These are great tips, and needed by parents who anticipate a little separation anxiety. Thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.
08/12/2017 @ 8:37 pm
Fantastic tips and such a well written article. And, you are so right about the hangry kids ? Always at dinner time- so angry until I can get them to actually eat. Happy school year ❤️
08/16/2017 @ 12:06 pm
I hear you. I think that 4pm snack is like a make or break for the day!;) Happy school year to you too Jamie! As always, it’s fun to connect with you virtually!
08/12/2017 @ 12:33 pm
Loved these tips! Parent/teacher involvement is soooo important for success! And like you mentioned, Art, Music, and even P.E. are designed to introduce new things, and benefit your child, so why not stay up-to-date and informed. I also agree with you on teaching the basics at home. Great article.
08/09/2017 @ 9:31 am
Love thisss tips! They apply to me as well even though they are ready for first grade. After a long summer it’s like starting all over again. Thanks for sharing !
08/10/2017 @ 9:02 pm
I agree.. each year is fresh and we need to review our big goals for our kids! I too have a rising first grader and I am taking my own advice, especially with advocating for her with specialist teachers. Thank you so much for commenting Kim!
08/08/2017 @ 6:44 pm
This has so so much to do with not only prepping your kids for kindergarten but listening to their feelings and needs. I totally plan to apply some of these to our time now (AJ just started at her daycare, she’s 2 and I feel like we can apply #1 and #6 especially). You’re the bomb girl, love your posts.
08/10/2017 @ 9:04 pm
So glad you enjoyed these Sam! I am all about supporting the ALL around needs of littles. It is not just a world of academics they are walking into. With any age child walking out into the world, they need support mentally, emotionally, physically, as well as academically. Thank you so much for your constant support in the virtual world! Hugs to AJ starting a new school in a new city!! You got this mama!
08/08/2017 @ 6:15 pm
These are some great tips. My son (and first born) is starting kindergarten next month and I’m way more nervous about it than him. I think academically he’s ready to go because we’ve been working on stuff at home for years. And hopefully I’ll make it through the first day, week, and year without breaking down.
08/08/2017 @ 1:47 pm
These tips are excellent! I’m so sad because I have a business trip my son’s first full week of preschool. But I will get to bring him to his first 2 days of school!
08/10/2017 @ 9:05 pm
I am so glad you get to be there for the first two days. With my job where I travel, I have missed some of the significant events and it makes being there so much more special because you know how to really appreciate it! Thank you so much for commenting Emily!
08/08/2017 @ 10:47 am
I’m not a parent, but as a Nanny and Childcare giver- this is so on point! I especially love the point about not bombarding them with questions- often we forget that these little humans are affected by that kind of stuff too!
08/10/2017 @ 9:08 pm
It is so very hard not to want a play by play of their day. I have to verbally remind myself often times to take.it.slow. Like you said, we forget how little they are sometimes and they have the same needs as we do to just let it all sink in and have a little space. How special that you get to be a caretaker of little ones Bella! What age are the kids you are a nanny for?
08/08/2017 @ 7:45 am
These are good tips! While my little ones are toddlers now I know in no time at all they will be in kindergarten and it comes up so fast! I’m doing my best to teach my eldest some of the basics – he seems really interested in spotting his name and learning numbers and so hopefully he’ll be confident with reading and writing when he starts school! 🙂
Scheduled to tweet this post too – a really good one!
08/28/2017 @ 12:56 pm
Thank you so much Mica! That is fantastic to hear your little is showing such interest in learning already! Keep up the good work and no doubt, he will be supremely confident in himself when Kindergarten arrives. Self confidence is the key to success in school! I have a great article you may be interested in that gives reading strategies for little guys like him who are just starting to learn numbers, letters, etc. https://www.biracialbookworms.com/reading-strategies-for-beginning-readers/
Happy Monday and thank you for reading!
08/08/2017 @ 12:28 am
A great guide! You made some great points, especially the one about helping with basic taskss at home to later help in the classroom. Class sizes are growing, so anything helps out a teacher. Pinning for later & to help others!
08/10/2017 @ 9:10 pm
Oh yes. Class sizes. Don’t get me started. It is SO tough and any teacher is a super hero in my book for making it look SO easy. What grade do you teach currently Katie?
I think even with older kids, some of the skills like packing backpacks and eating efficiently could use some work!:) Sometimes I find the younger ones run circles around the older kids with the gross motor skills. That awkward stage right?:)
08/07/2017 @ 11:10 pm
Thanks for the info! My almost 3 year old will be starting a preschool program soon, and I am in full panic mode! That had to be so tough for you not being a teacher at your daughter’s school this year! I can see the control freak in me will be going crazy the first several weeks once my son starts!
08/07/2017 @ 11:06 pm
Great post. I am certainly that parent that takes the time to meet the teacher, office staff and principal. In order for a child’s experience to be a smooth one, a parent must be involved. I make sure that on the back to school night that in addition to visiting my child’s classroom, I also go see the teachers for the next grade level to see what they are doing in the class.
08/10/2017 @ 9:13 pm
My husband laughs at me, but now he sees the point. He pokes fun at me for being the first to arrive and last to leave at any school event because I want to connect with EVERYONE. It is different now that I don’t teach at my daughter’s school so I feel even more motivated to connect whenever I have the chance. Do you volunteer in the classroom as well? Does your school encourage parent involvement? I have found that we are back in the US, there are many schools that don’t promote a lot of volunteers in the classroom. Counterproductive according to the research of the importance of a parent-teacher relationship to meet the needs of a child, but I am finding the school climate has really changed since we left for overseas 9 years ago.
08/07/2017 @ 10:21 pm
These are great tips. I could apply them even when little one goes to daycare or school. I love the “being child’s advocate” – soo important for us parents to remember we’re their advocates everywhere till they’re older.
08/10/2017 @ 9:15 pm
I tell the parents of my students, “if you don’t care, no one else will.” There is no one more invested in a child’s education than the parents of a child. More power to the parents like yourself that take that role very seriously. How old are your kids now? Feeling prepared for the coming school year?
08/07/2017 @ 9:19 pm
This is so well put-together. As a teacher- you hit the nail on the head! As a Mom, these tips are huge! Thanks!
08/10/2017 @ 9:17 pm
Thanks Shannon! I think teacher mamas are really tough customers when it comes to their own kids… speaking as a overbearing teacher mom myself, any tips for me to not overwhelm my daughter’s teachers this year? If you have any strategies for keeping quiet on an academic philosophical difference of opinion, I am all ears!
08/07/2017 @ 7:49 pm
These are helpful tips for getting ready for kindergarten. I have a few years yet but some of these can be started as early as possible!
08/07/2017 @ 7:54 pm
Good for you for thinking that way already. Researching how to advocate for kids at school is very time consuming. I am all about doing a little each day and saving myself from being completely overwhelmed as well as emotional. Thanks for commenting Mindy!
07/29/2017 @ 1:12 am
There are some great tips here! Yesterday I actually ordered a few of lunchboxes with the separate compartments, they’re so handy!
07/29/2017 @ 6:30 am
Lunchtime is one of the most critical parts of the day! The littles need to eat but schools just don’t carve enough time! We as parents and teachers have to work smarter to ensure the kids get adequate nutrition to be able to do well academically.
07/28/2017 @ 12:21 pm
These are such great tips! I’m dreading the day when my 7-month-old leaves for Kindergaten, but I’ll definitely be referencing this post when it happens 🙂
07/28/2017 @ 5:55 am
i wish i had this guide for my girl who just finished K this year, it was quite a struggle for her
07/28/2017 @ 10:03 am
I am so sorry to hear that Priscilla. I know it can be SO tough to transition to school for so many kids. Hope 1st grade goes so much more smoothly for you both this year! Hugs mama!
07/27/2017 @ 10:29 pm
This couldn’t have came at a better time! My 3 year old will be starting preschool and this was a GREAT read! Thank you!!!
07/27/2017 @ 11:21 pm
So glad this was so useful! Best wishes on the transition! Keep strong mama!
07/27/2017 @ 5:39 pm
These are great tips. My son is starting preschool this fall, and I am so excited, nervous, sad, happy- everything! I need to keep number 7 in mind. I will so want to pounce and ask everything the moment I pick him up, but I need to let him unwind a bit before I ask too much.
07/27/2017 @ 5:49 pm
Pounce is a great word for how I feel too!! You are not alone mama. Best of luck with your little transitioning to the land of formal school. It’s every emotion you described and more! Thanks for commenting Kim!
07/27/2017 @ 5:03 pm
This is a wonderful post! You really hit the nail on the head, especially with self care skills and lunchtime. I am a K teacher and I always struggle with explaining to parents diplomatically how important it is to teach self care skills because it benefits their own child! Thanks for a great read! ????
07/27/2017 @ 5:29 pm
Speaking diplomatically is TOUGH as a K teacher! I tease my US Diplomat husband that we can run circles around him as teachers trying to negotiate with parents and children on a daily basis. Thanks for your kind remarks Cindy! We have to stick together! Teachers unite!!
07/10/2017 @ 10:56 am
Sending the kids away can be heart-racking…so much so that I teach mine at home- not sure that’s the sane decision. This was a great read though- love all the tips!
07/10/2017 @ 1:40 pm
I think you are a (s)hero to teach your own kids mama! I think these tips apply to you even more because they are home with you. Advocating for your child is tough to do when you can’t always see what is going on in the classroom. Kudos mama and thanks for commenting Jamie! Always so grateful for your support!!