The idea of transitioning to school fills children and parents with a range of emotions.  Some experience excitement as children enter their next stage of their lives while others fear or become overwhelmed by the unknown.  The safe harbour of child care environments is stripped away to enter the world of academia, a transition that some children have been champing at the bit to do for months, while others aren’t quite ready to dip more than their toes into.  For a parent, the idea of being able to best support children is always at the forefront of their mind.  What can I say to my child to make the transition easier? What can I do to help them settle in? 

 

Making connections

 

Prior to leaving early childhood environments, benefits can be found by forming links with the school.  Simultaneously, advantages can be found by continuing to maintain a good working relationship with children’s early childhood teachers, educators and other staff who know them and their children well.  Early childhood professionals’ expertise and knowledge of childhood development, and their combined insight into how children function in educational environments can help to identify children’s strengths and ongoing needs.  

 

Being able to harness and gather such knowledge benefits the child in multiple ways.  Firstly...