by Kelly Ryan

The first day of Pre School (or Kindy) seems so far away when you first bring home your little miracle, but by the time they are ready to run off into the big world, it will feel like just yesterday you were changing their nappy and delighting in first smiles. The lead up can be a chaotic time where emotions run rampant for everyone but remember, this is a milestone, one to celebrate and enjoy!

Every kid is different, some are ready to run out the front door, but others are a little more apprehensive. The best way to calm those first day jitters or get your little adventurer excited is to be open with them.

Sit them down before the big day and talk about:

• All the exciting new activities they will be doing like dress ups and painting
• The new friends they will make, how they will play together and dance.
• The teachers, what their names are and what they look like.

Make sure your child knows that Kindergarten is like a second home, when Mummy and Daddy are not around your teacher will be there to help to tie up their shoelace if it comes undone or be there to help you if you are confused.

But most importantly, tell them that you will be there with a big smile at the end of the day to pick them up, ready to listen to all their adventures.

As a parent, you will never be ready to let go. Leading up to the big day it is going to be a mix of anxiety, pride, excitement and much more. Your child might be ready to take the next step, even when you are not. They will always need their Mum and Dad so don’t let it faze you if they are ready to leave before you want to let them.

It is a big day for both parents and bub, and preparation is key. In the weeks leading up to the first day of kindergarten, visit the school and practice getting there. It will ease your mind and get your child used to the idea of heading to a building that probably looks a little intimidating to them.

Get everything ready the night before, chaos on the morning of the big day is only going to add stress for both of you. Get the backpack ready with the fundamentals:

• Lunch Box: Filled with snacks and lunch to get them going during the day. Make sure to go through with them how to open their lunchbox before the first day – it makes a difference! (Find links for some great ideas for school lunch snacks at the bottom of this blog).
• Water Bottle: An essential. Invest in a BPA free, leak proof bottle that is easy for your child to access. A leak proof nozzle is the difference between soggy lunch and a happy child.
• Spare Clothes: Kindergarten gets messy but at least you know they are having fun! Pro tip: pack these in a zip lock bag so they stay dry from any backpack spills.
• Favourite Teddy: Sneak this one in there in the first few weeks, in case they need some comfort cuddles!
• Emergency Card: Your child is in safe hands but you never know when this might come in handy! Write down your emergency contact info and place it in a Ziplock or even laminate it. Pop it in the front pocket of the backpack, in case of emergencies.

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Pro Tip: Don’t forget to label everything! Every individual thing should be labelled from the clothes to the containers. Even if you think it cannot get lost, it probably will. There is always chance something will get separated from all the other belongings and go on a trip to someone else’s house.
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Finally, celebrate the day! It’s a special moment and should be a positive memory for them. There are a few things you can do to make the morning easier:

• Make it Special: Get them up and have breakfast together. Make the effect to serve something you don’t usually have, a treat to mark the occasion. Then get them dressed and take some photos!
• Be Confident: You are probably as scared as they are but be positive and walk them in with pride. Your energy will feed them, and they will quickly be letting go of your hands and making friends. Deep breaths help!
• Don’t Linger: Stay for a few of minutes, help them get settled and encourage them to get amongst it but don’t stay too long. You don’t want to give your kid the impression that Kinder is for Mummy too.

Once you get over the hill of first day, it will get easier.  Your little baby is growing fast and there is so much for them to learn and experience. Before you know it, the hours have past and they will be back in your arms telling you all the joys of their day.

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For some great healthy ideas for the School lunchbox, check out some of our healthy & fantastic #EATFIT recipes below;

• #EATFIT with Elise - Healthy Snickers Fudge.
• #EATFIT with Dianna - Rocky Road Recipe.
• #EATFIT with Jess - Chocolate Peanut butter slice
• #EATFIT with Sarah - Dark Choc & Ginger Cookie recipe
• #EATFIT with Raimee - Zucchini Pancakes

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