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| Prepare your kindergartner for a successful school day |
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A great day for your child begins the night before school. Most children this age need about 11 hours of sleep to wake up rested and alert. Add a healthy breakfast in the morning, and your child will be ready for a productive day of learning. What else can you do? * Show confidence in your child. Starting kindergarten is a huge step, especially for children who are not used to being away from parents for long stretches of time. Your child needs to know you believe she will do fine. * Have a routine. Children find comfort in the familiar. Now, when so much is changing, a routine at home--dinner, bath, teeth, story, bed--will reassure your child. * Encourage friendships. Invite a classmate your child likes over to play. Children who have a solid friendship at school feel better about going each day, and often do better as a result. Reprinted with permission from the October 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Meri Wallace, Keys to Parenting Your Four Year Old, ISBN: 0-8120-9745-9 (Barron's Educational Books, www.barronseduc.com). |