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Embracing The Prep School Year

It is not unusual to be worried when your child heads off to school for their first year in Prep. I'm an older mum with only one child, so every experience my daughter has is a new experience for me too. She starts Prep this year, and I am both nervous and excited for her. I want to use this blog to help other mums whose children are either beginning Prep this year or in the coming years ahead. I will share tips for first day nerves, getting into the grove of schooling, and how to tackle relations with other children of this age group. It is going to be an exciting year of growth for us both.

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Embracing the Prep School Year

How to Prepare Your Energetic Toddler for Their School Years

by Marcia Wagner

For many parents of toddlers, the school years can seem so far away that they're not worth thinking about. However, if your little one is filled with boundless energy, you may already be worrying about how they're perform in school. After all, most school environments require children to be able to display calmness and discipline in the classroom. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can start doing now to help your toddler with school readiness. Here are 3 to consider.

Get into a Good Routine

A lot of school success is dependent on routine. Pupils need to get a good night's sleep, wake up early, then work through multiple classes over the course of 6 to 7 hours. If you wait until the night before the first day of school to spring this routine on your energetic child, you could find yourself handling a lot of tantrums, sleepless nights, and more. Instead, it's best to start getting into a routine in the toddler years. You may be reluctant to enforce a routine if you struggle to get your toddler to slow down enough to follow one, but it's better than you work through these issues now when timeliness is less important.

You can start by setting the evenings aside for calm, family activities like playing games or watching a film. Try not to schedule activities like shopping or other errands too late, as this encourages your little one to be energetic at night. Then, help your child wind down with a soothing activities like bathing, reading, turning down the lights, and drinking hot chocolate or warm milk. This gets them into the right mindset to sleep on time. Finally, when it comes to bedtime, make sure to be firm and consistent. If your little one tries to get up at night, put them back to bed without getting angry. Use lots of encouraging words and don't give into tantrums.

Bedtime routines can be the most important for school readiness, but try to get into routines for meal times and other daily activities too.

Encourage Them to Be Responsible

One big issue many parents have with their energetic toddler is that they're always in Play Mode. When they're having fun, these children can neglect to be responsible. This can become a problem during the school years, when play time is significantly reduced and responsibility becomes more important. However, what's great about starting school readiness tactics during the toddler years is that your child is the perfect age to start getting excited about responsibility. One of the best ways to encourage it is to start letting your child help out with household tasks. Many energy-filled toddlers love being independent, so they'll enjoy these little jobs. Start with small, simple tasks that signal the end of fun time, like asking your child to throw a tissue in the bin after lunch or tidy up a small area of toys. Remember to use lots of praise and try to get your toddler to do the same chores every day. This will help them feel more positive about ending play time and prepare them for following instructions in school.

Enrol Them in an Early Learning Centre

While there's a lot you can do at home to get your little one school-ready, nothing beats the real experience of being in a learning environment. That's why the best way to prepare your energetic toddler for their school years is to enrol them at an early learning centre. These facilities combine play and fun with basic education in numeracy, literacy, personal skills, and more, making them the perfect transition step. An early learning centre will make your child more enthusiastic about attending school one day and prepare them for some of the challenges. If your toddler's energy can sometimes get in the way of building good relationships with other children and adults, an early learning centre will also teach them how to display good manners, be respectful, and get along with their peers.

For more information, contact establishments like Hopskotch Kindergarten.

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