Starting kindergarten is a big change for the family and the child. The first people a child takes as a role model are their parents. During this process, the child reaches a certain psycho-social maturity in line with the opportunities provided by his parents and social environment. At this stage of maturity and development, the parent and social environment will become inadequate after the age of 3 and the child will want to be with his peers. At this stage, pre-school education comes into play and provides supportive studies regarding the child's developmental areas.
Starting kindergarten is an effort for the child to improve his socialization skills and to exist alone in a different area than his home.
The child When he starts kindergarten, he starts from a family environment where he knows all the rules, to an environment where he does not know any rules yet and where there are many foreign adults and children. It is very normal for the child to have difficulties in the adaptation process to this new situation.
It is normal for a child who has just started kindergarten to experience uncertainty and separation anxiety in general. These anxieties can be experienced more intensely in children who come from a protective and tolerant family environment. However, after the child gets used to the environment and gets to know his teachers and friends, his anxiety decreases over time and a sense of trust begins to form.
Of course, in this process, families experience anxiety next to the child. Sometimes families feel guilty about being separated from their children. Children take on the feelings of guilt and anxiety that parents experience. The child who receives these signals experiences anxiety much more intensely than normal. The reason for this situation is the thought that 'if even the parent, who is the most basic source of trust, is worried, then there is something to be afraid of'. For this reason, the determination and peace of mind of the parents (caregiver) will facilitate the child's adaptation process.
The emotional readiness of the parents during the child's starting kindergarten process is one of the important factors. If the child feels emotional sadness and anxiety when separating from his/her parent, the adaptation process will be difficult.
The feeling of trust in the adaptation process may differ from child to child. some kids at school In the first days of training, he may be interested and full of desire. Kindergarten is like a park for him. However, over time, he may want to be with his mother. Over time, he will understand what it means to come to school all the time and can react. Some children do not want to leave their mothers at first. He may want his mother to come to class all the time, to be with him, to feed his mother, and when these do not happen, he may show crying behavior as the expected result.
The difficulty in adapting to kindergarten is not only the problem of separation from the mother. Children who have caregivers at home have already been separated from their mothers. But the important point here is that he experienced the separation in his own home, with his own toys, in a safe and familiar environment. But when he starts school, he cannot find this safe and familiar environment. It's in a different environment with a lot of new kids. It is very difficult for him to share his belongings with others, especially at a time when he is self-centered.
WHAT SHOULD FAMILIES DO?
The determination, patience and feeling of the family towards pre-school education and the institution Trust and belief play a very important role in the child's adaptation process.
Explaining to the child about kindergarten and introducing kindergarten will facilitate adaptation. In order for the child to like school, the family must go to school with the child.
It should be explained that only children are present in the kindergarten, there are no mothers and fathers. The child should be discussed about arrival and departure times from school and told that he/she will stay in the kindergarten for a certain period of time. Of course, these explanations should be explained in terms that he can understand and the promise should be kept.
It should be explained that kindergarten is a game, a friend and an educational institution that should be attended every day. However, when giving this information to the child, it should be explained without exaggeration or misinformation. Otherwise, when the child cannot find what is explained to him, his trust in the school and in you will be shaken.
You must deliver and pick up your child at the door on the following days of school. The farewell time should be kept as short as possible. Even if your child starts to cry during the goodbye process, you should be determined to leave. You can kiss your child and say 'I'm leaving now' and explain that you will be back and when you will pick him up from school in concrete language such as 'after lunch'.
If the child cannot leave the person he came to kindergarten with and cries constantly, then he should be brought to school by another person. It should be determined that the child should come to school regularly.
In the first days, asking the child too many questions, praising the institution, and questioning what he eats may disrupt the child's adaptation. He should be expected to explain himself by simply saying 'how was your day?' You can get information about your child's condition from his teacher.
The family can help the child develop a sense of trust in his teacher by telling him that he will be in a happy and safe environment at school, that there will be a teacher who cares about him, and that he can share his wishes with his teacher. The child's going to school should be supported by the whole family and the members of the family should be in harmony.
Adjustment problems week It will decrease from the beginning to the end of the week. However, this momentum may increase again after the weekend. This is a normal process. This process will be shortened with patience-calm and determination.
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