Are you and your child prepared for nursery?
Vivian He
The first day of nursery can be a challenge for both the parent and child. It is likely the first time your child will be separated from you for an extended period of time. It is also the first time in a child's life that they socialise with a large group of children of their own age. Suffice to say, it is an important milestone in your child's development. But with some guidance and preparation, this transition can be smooth, and your child can flourish. Here are some ways that you and your child can prepare before taking this important step.
Prepare your child
and yourself mentally
This will be a time of a lot of anxiety and uncertainty for both you and your child. It is therefore important to mentally prepare for nursery. There are several ways you can do this.
Get your child excited about going to nursery. Picture books can be a useful tool for this. They can help to answer some of the basic questions they may have about going to nursery. Looking at picture books together presents the opportunity for you to share your own experiences from when you went to nursery. Try role-playing with your child. This will help to familiarise your child with the routines at the nursery and ultimately ease some of their anxiety, as they will know what to expect of this new experience.
Have faith in your child and in their teachers. You may feel just as anxious about being separated from your child as they feel about being separated from you. This is completely normal. Nevertheless, it is important to be confident that your child can successfully transition to nursery life, and that they will be in capable hands with their teachers.
Actively engage with your child's teachers. You should feel comfortable enough to ask them how your child behaves in the classroom and confident that you will get an honest answer. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is simply to become an active member of the nursery's community. By participating in the nursery’s activities and attending parent-teacher conferences, you will build a strong relationship of trust and communication with the teachers who look after your child.
Teach your child
basic autonomy
Your child will be better equipped to adapt to their new learning environment if they are equipped with self-care skills. They will also be more confident, curious, and interested in exploring new things, which in the long run means they will learn more.
01
Teach your child basic routines, such as eating or dressing and undressing on their own.
02
Get your child in the habit of napping after lunch. This is essential for their healthy growth and development. Adequate sleep gives their growing brains a rest and ensures that they have enough energy for afternoon activities.
03
Make sure your child is toilet trained before enrolling them in nursery (at Huili Nursery, children are expected to be toilet trained before starting EY2). This is not just a matter of hygiene; it is also a matter of your child having a certain measure of autonomy, which helps to develop self-confidence.
Be a conscientious parent
Children are observant and deeply perceptive. Your actions and words have more power in this capacity than you could ever imagine.
Be a positive and optimistic influence on your child's emotions. When you drop them off on the first day of nursery, make sure they know how much fun they will have and how many friends they will make. Be honest with them. Do not mislead them for the sake of calming their misgivings. Make sure they understand that you will be leaving them at the nursery for the day but will be back to pick them up at the end of the nursery day.
Get acquainted with what activities will be happening at the nursery and help your child prepare for them.
Be engaged in what your child does at nursery. Ask them to tell you about their day and take a genuine interest in what they have to say.
We believe with the cooperation and mutual support of parents and teachers, children can adapt to their new environment quickly and have a fun and enriching time at nursery.
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