I can’t believe my daughter just completed kindergarten! It’s been as much a learning process for us, as parents, as it was for her as a student finding her way. I took for granted the fact that she was reading before starting kindergarten, and admittedly didn’t exactly know how to prioritize all it would take to help her feel confident and achieve and sustain success throughout the year. As relieved as I am to have a little bit of a break from all the lunch packing and homework, I feel as though we’ve all just hit our stride. I hope I can help you minimize that learning curve within your family by sharing what I’ve learned.
- Give your child (and yourself) grace: You child won’t get everything the first time, nor will you. Sure, I’ve been through school, but I had a lot to discover about how my child learns best. And, just when I think we’ve got it, there’s a new lesson, challenge, or just boredom with our approach. Don’t get discouraged if you have a similar experience. I’ve been so excited to see all the moments where something just clicked for my daughter. Consistency is important, so just keep at it!
- Try a new approach: As much as I hate jacking up our schedules, the moment my husband began helping with homework consistently (instead of alternating between the two of us), it was a serious game changer. I hate that it took all year for us to realize that, but it was great to see how much better my daughter did when we made that change. And, I’ll tell you what, it didn’t hurt my ego one bit! It honestly made for a much less stressful night for everyone and her beaming smile telling me about her day and the new concepts she learned were priceless.
- Talk to your friends: My friends have been invaluable in talking me off the ledge this school year. We laugh about the day’s events, share best practices, and everything in between. Sometimes, it’s just nice to be open and real with someone who is sharing a similar experience.
- Celebrate victories: I’m talking ALL victories, no matter how big or small. I recall my daughter having a tough time writing the letter “W,” and would get so frustrated every time. I could tell she was really practicing at school because each “W” looked better after a while. When I noticed those incremental improvements, I made sure to high-five her, initiate a dance party in the middle of homework…whatever it took to make her smile, break the tension, and let her know I was proud of her work and she should be, too.
I really didn’t expect to learn so much about myself and my child during kindergarten. Next year will bring a new teacher with new challenges, but hey, my daughter will still have the same mommy and daddy. Except next school year, we’re bringing our A+ game from day one. Watch out, first grade, here we come!
