Preschool Ready?

By Ho Shee Wai

Director/Registered Psychologist

Preschool Ready?

Many parents would like to get a head start for their kids by enrolling in pre-school. However, apart from their ambiguity about having their kids leave their side, they also have some questions and concerns. Read about some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and find out how a Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist can help you and your kid prepare to start in preschool.

During preschool, amazing changes happen with children's thinking skills. Their memories are becoming stronger, which means they often remember surprising details. They can share their ideas in new and interesting ways. Their imaginations are becoming a primary vehicle for play and learning. They begin to compare, contrast, organize, analyze, and come up with more and more complex ways to solve problems, which helps their math skills and scientific reasoning become more sophisticated. All these are the benefits of preschool, but not all children are ready for preschool. Some FAQ:

1) How can I tell if my child is emotionally ready to attend preschool? And how can I prepare him for it, to avoid problems like separation anxiety and clinginess, etc?

• Think about the developmental milestone and social skills that you child has mastered and whether they are a good match with preschool. For example, How well does your child listen to and obey instructions? How frequently does your child play with other kids? Is your child able to draw with a crayon or pencil? Is your child toilet trained? How well does your child usually behave when being watched by others? Can your child stay active for the school hours without napping?

• Separation anxiety comes from insecure attachment of the child. Reassure that your kid is ok alone. Manage your own anxiety. Practice short separation with your child at home in stages: leaving the room for 5 mins, leaving the room for 15 mins, leaving the room for 30 mins, leave the house for 5 mins, leaving the house for 15 mins, leaving the house for 30 mins, etc.

• Teach self soothing skills to your child for managing their distress: deep breathing, carrying a good luck charm or toy, sing a “Courage” song/jingle, learn to tell time (by event), etc.

• Bring the child to visit the preschool a few times and talk positively about how he/she is going to enjoy it and the activities that he/she can do. Introduce the child to the teachers and classroom.

2) When selecting a childcare centre, I want to be sure that the environment is suitable for my child and that the staff are nurturing and attentive. How do I go about assessing this? What should I look out for? e.g.: friendly, open teachers or caregivers, stimulating classrooms, etc. What would be an emotionally healthy environment?

Go for the visit to the school to have an understanding of the school environment. Ask questions like:

• What’s the daily routine? Practice similar routine with your kid. You want your child to have a sense of predictability each day: circle time, snack, reading, play, etc.

• What’s the teaching approach? Go for multisensorial and varied programme to help your child’s overall development.

• Who are the teachers and caregivers? Meet and speak to some of them to know what their personality is like.

• How will the school let me know about my child's progress? Parents should be kept informed with newsletters, e-mails, and regular parent-teacher meeting.

• What do you do when children are fighting or misbehaving? It's crucial that you agree with the school's discipline policy.

• What is other parents’ experience in the school? You might want to talk to other parents.

3) How can being in preschool with other kids help my child socially and emotionally? (in terms of encouraging him to interact and socialize, overcome shyness, etc).

At preschool, children learn how to socialize: get along with other children, share, contribute to circle time, how to compromise, be respectful of others, and problem-solve.  It provides a place where your child can gain a sense of self, explore, play with his/her peers, and build confidence. They discover that they are capable and can do things for themselves: from small tasks like pouring their own juice, going to bathroom, and helping set snack tables to tackling bigger issues like making decisions about how to spend their free time and who to befriend with.

How can your Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist help your child be Preschool ready?

If you know that your child tends not to do well being away from a familiar caregiver or you may have some concerns about your child that might interfere with his or her being in a preschool (e.g., your child is very active or extremely shy), you may want to bring him/her to work with a Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist.

A Psychologist is able to do an objective assessment of whether your child is preschool ready on a developmental, social, and emotional level. The Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist can help your child with the development of school readiness skills in the areas of social interaction, play, language, emotional development, physical skills, literacy, and fine motor skills.

Some of the specific skills functioning for preschool include: toileting, dressing, eating, classroom functioning (organizing and prioritizing, staying focused on tasks, and regulating emotions), cognitive functioning (reasoning, thinking, understanding), receptive language (understanding language), expressive language (using language), and social communication (interacting).

Additionally, your Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist will also be able to work with your child if they have any anxiety, fear, anger, or emotional management issues.

How can your Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist help you?

Often, it’s not just the child who needs help and support. The parents may also need help and support during this period of transition. Your psychologist, counsellor, or psychotherapist can address your anxiety, fear, and concern. Some parents may feel a sense of loss with this new stage for your child. For those who have specific goals to help your child develop preschool ready skills, the psychologist, counsellor, or psychotherapist can also provide parenting coaching.