Preparing Your Child for Elementary School

Depending on how you approach it, the first day of school can be either an annual ordeal or an exciting ritual. Here are 15 ways to manage your grade-schooler’s expectations and make sure she’s prepared.

• Speak to the principal before school starts about what your child is expected to know by the time he enters kindergarten or first grade.
• If your child has any special needs, notify the school and confirm that acceptable accommodations can be made.
• Attend an open house or get-acquainted day at school. If such an event doesn’t exist, schedule an appointment to take a tour of the school building with your child and introduce her to her new teacher.
• Schedule an appointment with your child’s pediatrician for a physical exam, if your school requires this. Remember to bring any school medical forms with you for the doctor to fill out.
• Try on last year’s school clothes to see what still fits. Go shopping for the items that need to be replaced.
• Sew name tags or write your child’s name in indelible ink on clothing that he is likely to take off during the school day and also on small items like headbands, hats and mittens.
• Allow your child to select her own lunch box, backpack and outfit for the first day of school.
• Stock up on paper, pencils and other basic school supplies your child is sure to need. His teacher is likely to send home a more comprehensive list of must-haves once classes start.
• Make arrangements for after-school activities and child care.
• Read through and review school regulations with your child. Make sure all school forms have been completed and returned.
• A few weeks in advance of the first day of school, start shifting your child’s schedule to establish an appropriate school-year bedtime and waking time.
• The night before school starts, help your child pick out clothes to wear in the morning.
• Even if you can’t do so every day, bring your child to the bus stop or to school on the first day. Say a cheerful good-bye and leave promptly when the bus comes or the school bell rings.
• After school, ask for any notices that may have been sent home and designate a place in the house for school paperwork.
• Talk to your child about first-day impressions, and address all of her comments and concerns.

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