| Do you remember your first day of school? Well, I | | | | better to check before you purchase. It may be a |
| don't. But I am sure many of you remember your little | | | | good idea to take your kid alongwith you for the |
| one's first day of school (those who have kids of | | | | shopping in case he/she has his own choice of colours |
| course), just like I will remember my little boy's, for a | | | | for his bag/bottle etc. And perhaps you could buy him |
| long time to come. My little boy probably did not realise | | | | her a toy or something as a 'first day of school' gift :) |
| how special an event his first day of school was. | | | | My website has some great gifts for kids. The link is in |
| But I was nervous and excited days before he had to | | | | my bio; perhaps you may like something. |
| go; it seemed like I had to prepare for so much, quite a | | | | 4. Labels: |
| lot of it on the emotional front I guess. More than | | | | Make sure you label everything with your kid's name. |
| readying him, I had to prepare myself for this journey | | | | Things are likely to get mixed up in school, so labeling is |
| he was about to begin, which would continue for many | | | | required. Sticky labels will do for bags, but for lunch |
| years to come and would play a big part in shaping up | | | | boxes and water bottles, you need to write with |
| his personality. There probably is lots of information on | | | | permanent markers, as these things would be washed |
| the internet about what to do before your child's first | | | | regularly. Though through personal experience, what |
| day of school. I just thought I would add my bit and put | | | | works better than permanent markers is nailpolish! (i.e. |
| it all in once place. I did some thinking earlier on and | | | | if you dont mind writing with it!) |
| made a mental checklist of what I needed to do, and it | | | | 5. Toilet Training: |
| did help me quite a bit. So here goes... | | | | Oh now the scariest of them all :) I was really worried |
| 1. Mental Preparation: | | | | about this & am still worried to some extent. |
| First and foremost, you and your kid both need to be | | | | Though he has grasped everything pretty quickly, my |
| ready for this! First target yourself :) You need to be | | | | son took a long time to get toilet-trained. We tried for |
| prepared for your child to be away from you, in the | | | | long, but he got trained only about a month before he |
| care of others, even if its for a few hours everyday; | | | | had to begin school and it was only at home that he |
| of course, more so, if you are a stay-at-home mom. | | | | did tell us. He wore diapers whenever we went out |
| You have to understand that he will be learning many | | | | somewhere. Its better to keep reminding your child that |
| more things now, will be meeting more kids now and | | | | when in school, he needs to inform his teacher when |
| may in fact become naughtier :) Its all a part of the | | | | he wishes to go. Also, check when you are school |
| game, sigh..thats what I had to tell myself. It was not | | | | hunting, what the school policy is about this point. |
| easy, let me tell you. As far as your baby is | | | | Where we live, some schools do not allow diapers, |
| concerned, its better to start preparing him/her earlier | | | | and some do. Luckily, the school we chose was not |
| on so that he gets all excited about going to school. | | | | rigid about it. I was advised to send him in diapers for |
| We took our little boy along with us when we started | | | | the first week, and then without. They were ready to |
| our survey of schools (step 2 below). This was a few | | | | take care of wet accidents, and assured me that he |
| months before he actually started going to school. We | | | | would settle down in a few days. Its working out alright |
| kept telling him how much fun it was going to be and | | | | as of now, but I do have to send a change of clothes. |
| how he would make many friends and play with them. | | | | 6. Lunch/Snack Box: |
| The first day he was very happy and in fact, wasn't | | | | No junk food! Its convenient, sure, but is unhealthy and |
| ready to come back home after school :) | | | | if you give it to him some day, the kid would take it for |
| 2. Survey: | | | | granted that he would always get to eat such stuff |
| Look around, ask around; find out about the good | | | | during snack time. Then, when you give something |
| schools in your area. Its great if the school is near your | | | | healthy, he might not eat it. Nowadays, teachers stress |
| house, for many reasons, but that of course is not the | | | | on healthy snacks too, so that kind of helps. |
| only criteria. The school needs to have a good | | | | 7. School Work: |
| reputation, especially if its a preparatory school, | | | | Make it a practice to check your child's bag when you |
| pre-school if you will, like we have where we live. Such | | | | take out his lunch box after school. More often than |
| schools are stepping stones to the proper school that | | | | not, there will your child's school work that day (his |
| your child will be enrolled into when he is around 4-5 | | | | drawings etc) in it and/or a teacher's note. This is more |
| years of age. Of course, this concept varies from | | | | applicable to pre-school kids I think. It will be very |
| place to place. Visit the schools, talk to their principals | | | | encouraging for the child if you appreciate the work he |
| and check out what kind of schooling philosophy is in | | | | has done at school and its also a good idea to keep |
| place, i.e, their ideas about learning, teaching concepts, | | | | his all work carefully. The set will serve as good |
| aids, facilities etc. At this age, your child should be | | | | memories later :) |
| made to feel comfortable in school, as its his first step | | | | 8. Talk after school: |
| outside home, without you, especially true for kids with | | | | After school, do spend time with your child and ask |
| stay-at-home moms. I have selected a good school in | | | | him/her what he/she did at school and listen to a |
| the vicinity where learning is done through various kinds | | | | whole list of things he will tell you. Its fun, isnt it, when |
| of fun activities without putting undue pressure on the | | | | they just babble on :) Some part of it you may not |
| kids. | | | | understand, depending on how old your child is, but its |
| 3. Shopping: | | | | fun nevertheless plus it assures him that you are a |
| Next you make a small list of items you need to | | | | part of his school life too. |
| purchase and go shopping. Was one of my favorite | | | | 9. Good word for the teachers: |
| parts of this whole exercise. Most likely, this would | | | | Time and again, put in a good word for the class |
| include a school bag, lunch box, water bottle/sipper, | | | | teacher while talking to your kid. Tell him or her she is |
| crayons and new clothes surely:). As far as clothes | | | | very nice and will take care of him and he should listen |
| are concerned, cotton trousers work best for boys, I | | | | to her carefully. It will help the teacher in class. |
| feel. They are comfy and easy to wear and remove. | | | | 10. Routine: |
| Make sure that you check with the teacher in charge | | | | Last but not the least, do not forget to set a routine for |
| about the things you need to put in his/her bag. They | | | | your kid. He/she should be sleeping early and getting |
| might have some tips for you such as sending napkins | | | | up early. Try to set up the routine days before he |
| and a change of clothes/undergarments for smaller | | | | starts going to school so that its easier for the child to |
| kids. Some schools may provide joining kits which | | | | adjust. |
| include a school bag and some other stuff, so its | | | | |