Tips for parents as Kindergarten starts…

We thought, with school starting and all, that this was appropriate to pass along…enjoy! These are exciting times…

Tips for parents
DEBBIE CAFAZZO; The News Tribune

After more than two decades in the kindergarten classroom, teacher Kelly King of Point Defiance Elementary School in Tacoma knows what it takes to get kids off to a good start in school. Here’s her advice for parents:

• Get kids excited about learning. Talk to them about school and how much fun it’s going to be. Even if you had a hard time in school, be enthusiastic with your child.

• Develop your child’s language skills. Talk about what you see when you’re driving. Speak in complete sentences.

• Teach your child to learn to listen by reading stories, attending library story time or making up stories with your child.

• Help your child develop independence. A kindergarten student can open his own juice box, hang up her coat or put away toys. She might not be able to tie her own shoes yet. Don’t worry – buy shoes with Velcro ties.

• Foster the child’s ability to play with others. Get involved with a play group.

• Help encourage fine motor skills development by stringing Cheerios on a pipe cleaner, playing with clothespins or with Lego toys. Those skills will help your child hold a pencil when he goes to kindergarten.

• While a kindergarten child might not know the alphabet, it’s important to foster letter recognition and number sense. When you drive past a store, point to the first letter and say its name out loud. Help count things.

• On the first day of school, keep good-byes cheerful and quick. Don’t come back and peek in the window.

“I’ve never had a child cry for more than five minutes after Mommy and Daddy drove off,” says King.