ItB次元官网网址檚 an exciting time for first time students, an anxious time for parents, and a time of year many high school students dread: Back to school.
The return to the fall routine is enough of a stresser that many Greater Victoria families routinely elect not to travel over the Labour Day weekend, one of the three precious summer long weekends, just to get organized.
So where does the anxiety come from, and is it justified?
Melanie Postle is the vice-principal and kindergarten teacher at McKenzie Elementary in Saanich. SheB次元官网网址檚 calmed many parents new to the school system through the Welcome to Kindergarten session, which is designed to ease the transition.
B次元官网网址淲e all have busy summers, you spend all summer telling your child theyB次元官网网址檙e going to kindergarten, and all of a sudden you say B次元官网网址榌gasp]B次元官网网址�, are they ready to go to kindergarten? Have I prepared them for kindergarten?B次元官网网址� Postle said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a huge challenge for parents whose children arenB次元官网网址檛 in the school system to know what to expect, so we gave the parents a few things to help.B次元官网网址�
Helpful tips are ensuring the children can get in and out of their own shoes and coats, prepping them to use a public washroom by themselves, printing and recognizing their own name and, navigating the lunch box.
B次元官网网址淎 huge thing is eating, [come lunch time] can they open the container [youB次元官网网址檝e packed]?B次元官网网址� Postle said.
For those with a second child entering the school system, most of that anxiety is washed away.
Ashley Hubbard is sending son Zachary, 5, into kindergarten at South Park Family School this week. With an older son in Grade 2, itB次元官网网址檚 been a much different experience this time around, she said.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not nervous for [Zachary]. ItB次元官网网址檚 like yay for me, but itB次元官网网址檚 also sad for me, heB次元官网网址檚 my last baby [at home],B次元官网网址� Hubbard said. B次元官网网址淲e know the school, the teachers, many of the families, so thereB次元官网网址檚 no unknowns for us, itB次元官网网址檚 our everyday life now.B次元官网网址�
So what does a brand new kindergarten student look forward to?
B次元官网网址淧laying Lego with my friends,B次元官网网址� Zachary said (indeed there is a box of Lego tucked away for play time).
While ZacharyB次元官网网址檚 got it mostly figured out, he also has the benefit of some advice from big brother Broden, 7.
B次元官网网址淟isten, criss-cross apple sauce [or, cross your legs when you sit] and be kind.B次元官网网址�
As the mother of three, Postle knows the anxiety many parents feel when they drop their kids off at kindergarten in that first week.
B次元官网网址淭he thing parents need to know is we all care for their children and we want their children to be the best they can be as well,B次元官网网址� Postle said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e here to nurture them through learning, weB次元官网网址檙e not here to label them, make them sit out or ostracize them. We want them to have the best experience they can.B次元官网网址�
