Tips for preparing children for school for the first time

As toddlers get older and develop, various preparations are being made, one of which is going to school. Not only the choice of school that must be considered, but also the child's readiness factor. What should be considered when preparing children for school?

When is it best to prepare children for school?

In Indonesia, schools are divided into 4 levels, namely playing, compulsory elementary, middle and high. W

Aktu and the age at which a child is enrolled in school can be based on the child's desire to attend school.

Usually, 3-4 year olds will express their own desire to go to school because they see that their friends or relatives have started going there.

You can prepare your children to enter PAUD-level school when your little one is 3-4 years old.

What are the signs that indicate that a child is ready for school?

Determining and preparing children for school cannot be arbitrary, so it must be considered carefully.

Quoting from the official website of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the conditions and patterns of social interaction at school and at home are quite different.

Various factors of social and emotional development, motor skills and cognitive abilities of children need to be considered before preparing children for school.

The following are signs that the child is ready to enter PAUD level school:

1. Dare to communicate and interact with other people

Try to pay attention, whether the child understands simple commands, can answer when asked, ask for help from others, or can communicate clearly?

If you can, it means that the child is ready to enter the world of preschool.

To help children prepare themselves before entering preschool, it's best to train them to have the courage to communicate and interact with other people.

This can be started by inviting children to play in the park or in a playground with many peers.

Playing with peers can train children to be brave and confident in front of others.

2. Can use their own toilet

Being able to use the toilet itself can also be one of the considerations to determine whether a child is ready to enter the world of preschool or not.

Children who have graduated toilet training or being able to use the toilet itself is more readily released in the outside environment because it can take responsibility for itself.

You can train children to use the toilet on their own from an early age. If the child cannot but already wants to go to school, you should teach the child to tell the teacher when he wants to use the toilet.

3. Already able to eat alone

Preparing children for school is quite challenging.

However, if he shows that he is able to serve his own basic needs without the help of others, it means that the child is old enough, smart, and independent.

This can also be a consideration whether the child can enter school or not.

If the child is able to eat alone, you don't have to worry when the child eats with friends at school.

4. Can be left behind or away from parents temporarily

One sign that a child is ready for school is that he can be left alone for a while. Now consider, does the child feel comfortable if you stay for a while, while he plays with his friends?

If so, this is a sign that he is ready to enter school.

Quoting from the official IDAI website, children must be able to reduce their dependence on caregivers or parents in their daily activities. For example, eating, drinking, or playing.

This is because parents and teachers have different roles. Teachers cannot focus on one child, whereas parents or caregivers can only focus on the little one.

Preparing children for school is challenging, but give him the understanding that this is a phase that children his age need to go through.

Tell him that even though there are no parents, he still has friends and teachers who will accompany him to school.

Things that need to be prepared before children enter school

When you first enter school, your child may be fussy and even tantrums.

So, how do you make your little one comfortable during the first day of school? Here are some things you can do to prepare your children for school

1. Show what the school is like

So that children do not feel unfamiliar with the environment they are going to live in, introduce their children to the ins and outs of school.

Some ways that can be used include showing various pictures of the school environment or inviting to watch videos about fun activities at school.

You can also sing songs about the joy of going to school, make bedtime stories with school themes, and so on. This is a way to prepare children for school.

After introducing things about school, it's a good idea to take the child for a walk around the school environment where your little one will play and learn with his friends.

Visits can be made starting from the school yard, classrooms, to gathering places and playing with their peers.

2. Prepare children's supplies well

One thing that parents should not forget is to prepare a food menu for children to enter school later.

Make a food menu according to the nutritional needs of children under five.

Supplies can contain drinks and food for children so that they are even more enthusiastic when they enter school.

Another thing that needs to be considered is where the food is stored.

You don't want your child to have trouble opening the food storage container so that it triggers her to feel irritated or even cry.

3. Take the child on the first day of school

After various steps to prepare the child before entering school, it's time to take your little one.

On the first day of school, take and accompany the child so that he doesn't feel abandoned by his parents.

When accompanying him to school, there are times when you have to "disappear" some time from his sight so that the child is trained not only to be accompanied by parents on the following days.

If children are fussy and insist on being accompanied by their parents, do not obey their wishes because it will become a habit later.

Give the understanding that when he was at school, he had to socialize and couldn't stick with you.

4. Give appreciation

If the child is successful in carrying out his first day of school well, give him an appreciation so that the little one will be more motivated and feel at home at school.

Appreciation can be in the form of spoken praise or marking the first date of school on his calendar with a smile.

This is expected to make him excited to go back to school.

5. Build cooperation with teachers

For children who have certain conditions or diseases, communicate this to the teacher at school so that your little one gets special attention.

For example, if the child has asthma, tell the teachers about it so that the child can be placed away from exposure to dust or air conditioning.

Even though it is a test of patience, preparing your child for school for the first time will be a memorable memory.

x