How to Help Your Child Adjust to Nursery School

Going to nursery school can be a big adjustment for both parent and child, especially for those parents who are sending their first child there and aren't used to what they'll be going through, and for children who used to being with Mum or Dad constantly throughout the day.If you're concerned with how your child will be able to adjust to attending nursery school on a regular basis what are some things you can do to help him or her settle in to their first day and first experiences with this?One of the best things you can do throughout the child's young years is to make a practice of leaving him or her with a babysitter or with another relative, even if it's just for a few hours here and there.This means that your child will be used to being in the care of strangers and won't be terrified by the idea of someone other than Mum or Dad taking care of them. It's interesting how children with large families and parents who both work seem to adjust better to nursery school than children who are rarely left with anyone else.When it is time for your child to attend nursery school make sure you bring him or her to the facility before that first day. Walk him or her through the entire building and show them the toys and other games they can play with.Introduce your child to the teachers. Make sure your child is very familiar with the nursery school itself before it's time to leave him or her there.Some nursery schools will allow a parent to sit nearby on that first day so that you're not interfering with the activities of the school but the child knows you're still there. If this isn't possible, make sure your child understands what will happen on that first day and all the days after.The way you present this information is going to go a long way toward your child's attitude about nursery school and whether or not the child is going to look forward to it or dread it. If you say something like, "If you have a problem or don't like the other children, Mummy will be right there to pick you up," then you've planted the idea in their head that there might be a problem or the other children might be nasty.However, if you say something like, "I know how much you loved all those toys we saw and how much you like [staff member's name] so you are going to be able to play with them all day! How does that sound?"Now the child understands that nursery school is a fun adventure with people that he or she likes and activities they look forward to, rather than something to dread.