Preschool Adjustment Problems
What Can a Parent do to Help a Child Transition to Preschool?
Nov 7, 2007
The beginning of preschool can be difficult and stressful for some children. If your child is showing obvious signs of stress about preschool or the teacher has reported that he is not adjusting well, he may need some extra help. Help your child adjust to preschool with these tips.
Talk to the Preschool Teacher
The teacher may have some suggestions that will help your child adjust. Or, she may make a special effort to help your child relax. Many children respond well when the teacher gives them important classroom jobs, such as helping to pass out snack every day.
Stay for Class
If possible, stay for a few classes to see what your child is having difficulty with. Maybe he is having difficulty interacting with peers or with following the routine. After a few classes, you will most likely notice a pattern to your child’s behavior.
Practice Appropriate Preschool Behavior
Practice preschool behavior trouble spots at home in a relaxed environment. For example, if your child is having difficulty sitting still for story time, practice story time at home. Set up story time the same way the teacher does and help your child learn what is expected. If he is having trouble sharing toys with other children, practice sharing and taking turns. You can even pretend that stuffed animals or puppets are preschool students and roll play sharing and taking turns with them.
Give Preschool Behavior Reminders
Before school drop-off each day, remind your child, briefly about what is expected. If sitting still for story time is a problem, remind him that you expect him to sit still. If he is having trouble with hitting, remind him that he cannot touch other children with his hands, even if he is angry.
What if the Problem is Bigger?
After some observation, you may notice that the preschool environment is not right for your child. Maybe this particular school is too structured or maybe it is not structured enough. If your child is not adjusting to preschool because the school is not a good fit for him, continue looking at other preschools in your community.
Once the school year has started, it is likely that your child will be placed on a waiting list at a new school. Keep in mind that some young children are pulled out of preschool in the first few months because they haven’t adjusted well. This can make waiting lists move fast and can work to your advantage if you need to find a different school for your child.
Reevaluate Maturity Level and Preschool Readiness
Some children are simply not ready for preschool. Many students start school at age three. Some children are not ready for a structured school environment at this age. If, after six to eight weeks, your child is still having trouble settling into the routine, he may not be ready for preschool. It may be necessary to pull your child out and wait six months to a year before trying again.
For more information about preschool readiness read Is Your Child Ready for Preschool? by Faten Abdallah.
