How to Prepare Your Kindergarten Child for School

For a young child who is going to school for the first time, kindergarten is often the first venture into the world without the constant supervision of Mom and Dad to remind him of what is right and wrong and to regulate his schedule. Your child will suddenly become part of a mini culture that functions on its own routine and may require a whole new set of social skills and demands that your child needs to be ready to handle. You can prepare him for this shift in his routine by setting a schedule at home that will promote healthy eating and sleeping habits and promote self-care skills.

Set a regular bedtime. Children who are well rested are better able to perform both academically and socially. Overtired children who do not get enough sleep at night tend to be irritable and moody. Without proper sleep, the brain is not able to function to its capacity. Academic and social demands may be taxing and overwhelming for a child who suffers from a lack of sleep.

Begin regulating bedtime several weeks before school is scheduled to begin. Put your child to bed ½ hour earlier than usual for several days. Once he is in the routine of the new bedtime, set bedtime ½ hour earlier again. Repeat this process until your child is retiring at a reasonable time. Your child will benefit from 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night. Depending on the time your child has to get up for kindergarten, this may mean a bedtime anywhere from 7pm to 8pm.

Discourage afternoon naps. If your child is in the habit of napping in the afternoon to make up for lost sleep at night, it is time to discourage the habit. He will sleep better at night and be willing to go to bed earlier if he does not nap during the daytime. Once school begins, he will not be able to nap in the afternoon, unless your school provides ½ day kindergarten.