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While I’ve spent a lot of time blogging about Greenleigh going to kindergarten next month, this coming school year is going to be big for Hazeline, too. She’s heading into the preschool room at her school, which is full of letters, numbers, and above all, structure….but unfortunately, structure isn’t something that she’s used to. Up until this point, she’s been in the daycare program which has a very loose schedule. Erajh and I have been doing our best to get her excited about preschool, but so far she’s been unimpressed. But as I was buying school supplies at Walmart for Greenleigh, I happened to see a Disney Junior “Back to Preschool” display. I had no idea that there were preschool supplies! Suddenly, I realized that I’d been doing this “get excited for preschool” thing all wrong.
At that point, I decided to take a different approach – to get Hazeline more involved in the preschool process. Because in all honesty, up until this point, it was just Erajh and I hyping it up. And clearly that’s not enough. So if you have a child that’s hesitant to go to preschool, here are a few ways you might want to try and get them involved in the process. Take them to meet their new teacher and tour their new classroom before the first day. The first day can be scary, so try to minimize the surprises. If possible, take them to meet their new teacher and check out their classroom before the first day. That way, the classroom will be a familiar setting when they arrive for the first day. While most preschools don’t have an official roundup or preview day – like many elementary schools do – many are happy to accommodate the request when asked. Ask them to help pick out their supplies. Some preschools require parents to purchase supplies, others don’t. Either way, take your child out to purchase a few back to school items and ask your child to help. This will help them get excited about going to school and make them feel like they are part of the process, especially if they have older siblings and have watched them fill their backpacks with new school supplies in the past. 
And while you’re at Walmart, make sure to check out the Disney Junior “Ready 4 Preschool” display. Hazeline was extremely excited to see school supplies featuring her favorite characters – Sophia the First, Doc McStuffins, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates – each focusing on a different area of preschool learning (colors, numbers, letters, etc). This was probably the first time I’ve seen her excited about preschool! Encourage learning before school starts. Preschool doesn’t start for a few more weeks, but Hazeline couldn’t wait to open her Disney Junior Learning Activity pack when she got home and I didn’t stop her. The more excited that I can get her about learning now, the better. Plus, it might give her a slight advantage for when school really starts. 
And I think these packs will also make great after school activities for Hazeline to complete while Greenleigh is doing her homework during the school year.
So far, our new plan to get Hazeline involved in the process has worked wonders. After just a few days of this new approach, she seems much more excited about preschool and even asked to go to the preschool room this morning at school. Let’s hope the first day goes just as well! Is your child worried about going to preschool? What types of things have you done to ease the transition?
