Tips for a Confident First Day for Preschoolers and Kindergartners

Send us Fan MailWelcome to another episode of 5 minute parenting. Today, I have a special guest, Holly Debella McCarthy. She's a dedicated educator, an accomplished author, and a passionate advocate for child development and education. She's a former special education teacher, a school administrator, and university professor. Holly now writes full time, and she creates resources supporting parents and educators. Her Dilly Duck and Friends series features three award-winning children's picture books, and it highlights the themes of kindness, teamwork, and environmental awareness. Here are some of the key takeaways from the episode:1. Establish Daily Routines: Parents can help their children transition from summer schedules to school routines by gradually adjusting bedtime, lunch, and snack times. Practicing opening lunch boxes and containers independently can also build confidence.2. Practice Expected School Behaviors: It's beneficial to familiarize children with expected school behaviors such as waiting, good listening, and lining up. Parents can also reach out to the school or teacher to understand classroom rules.3. Play School at Home: Role-playing as the teacher and student can provide a fun way to model expected school behaviors and reduce school anxiety.4. Countdown to School Calendar: Using a calendar to count down the days to the first day of school can help children understand the concept of time and build excitement.Visit Holly's website where she shares practical parenting strategies and resources. Additionally, her "Dilly Duck and Friends" picture book series  Check out the Questions for Kids picture book series, perfect for young readers ages 5-10! *Are you looking for fun, gospel-inspired merch for your family + discounted picture books for your kids and grandkids? Visit my Etsy store at KarensBooksandMoreBook 3 in the Questions for Kids picture book series is now available! Check out Guess Why God Made the Rainbow on Amazon or your favorite book retailer! 🌈Love this podcast episode? Please leave a positive rating/review and share this episode with a friend ❤️Visit our websites at: https://www.karenferg.com/https://www.sandrakaychambers.com/ Find our books on Amazon:Karen Ferguson: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karen-Ferguson/author/B075SHZ1WV?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Sandra Chambers: ...