When we make the decision to send our children to preschool, doubts and concerns arise, especially the first days of school.
Will it stay good? Will they know what you need? Will he meet other children and make friends soon?
In addition, sometimes children begin to do things that they did not do before, they show different behaviors… this whole process, until the child feels safe and confident in their School, is what we call “Adaptation Period.”
Entering Nursery School represents a very important change in your life, it implies leaving your family world where you occupy a defined role, where you move in a safe, known and protected space, and it implies changes in relationships.
There are many considerations to take into account and the attitudes of adults that can promote a satisfactory adaptation. It is important not to set goals in time since each child experiences this process differently.
The child in class may cry, get angry, reject the teacher…
At home he may show other types of behavior such as refusing to eat, night terrors, not wanting to be separated from his parents for even a minute…
We must see these attitudes as something temporary, totally normal in this period.
The best thing we can do as parents to facilitate this process is to be relaxed and appear confident, since the child will pay attention to our emotions to strengthen his own.
In the first days of attending School and throughout the first trimester, above all, the child especially needs understanding and support. We must help you on that path to gain confidence and establish relationships with others. Little by little, he will adapt to the rhythms and routines of the School.
On behalf of the La Mar Salada Infant School and its teachers:
- Leaving the student their space, freely approach or move away from the “teacher”.
- Allowing a flexible schedule.
- Advising families, understanding that it is also a difficult time for parents.
- Letting the first days be of observation, having more time for free play and the first social relationships with other children.
But, how do we as adults help him live this moment, what the child needs from us?
Some recommendations:
- When we leave the child at School, always say goodbye briefly, avoiding prolonging the goodbyes. We will help you understand that we are saying goodbye for a while and that we will return to pick you up.
- Allow him to bring some familiar object during the first days: a teddy bear, a blanket, a doll.
- Try to postpone specific changes in the child’s life (removing the pacifier or diaper, changing from the crib to the bed or room, etc.) until later.
- Communicate to the center everything that concerns us. Communication Family – School must always be very fluid, but especially in this period where the foundations of the relationship are being laid and where any doubt that can be clarified contributes to successfully overcoming the process.
- The adults who surround the child have an important role in facilitating access to the new. The security of the parents regarding the decision made and the trust in the chosen center are fundamental factors to transmit to the child…
So separation/adaptation go together for both the child and the parents. The key to success is to be respectful of everyone’s time, facing the experience with calm and confidence.
The entire educational team of the Mar Salada, we put all our love and professionalism so that we, adults and children, live this period in a calm way, attending to the children individually, respecting their rhythms, and making the School a space for them. where to learn, share, make friends, enjoy…
The key to an adaptation without conflict is to face this challenge with confidence, calm and respect.
MARISA SERRALTA MARTINEZ
Pedagogical Coordinator
