At the Church, one of the ways God has uniquely placed us to Share in our community is through our Preschool, where so many children and their families get to know Jesus and His love. Preschool teachers, parents, and anyone who’s spent time with little ones knows that kids = interruptions. Just when you think you’re out the door and will make it to school right on time, someone spills her lunchbox contents all over the car, or tells you that he needs to go to the bathroom, NOW! How we handle interruptions with kids is a great opportunity to think about how we handle interruptions in general. Be Jesus In Your Neighborhood reminds us that “God loves to interrupt our lives” and that there is often excitement that comes along with interrupted plans.
The preschool staff is getting excited about the start of another school year and looking forward to reconnecting with one another and with our returning preschool families, as well as meeting our new families. So I’d like to reach out to discuss a few practical ways to head off some avoidable interruptions and make the most of the opportunities that a new school year presents. We all want the transition into the new school year to go smoothly, so here are a few tips for making that happen:
Talk with your child about what to expect; talk about the classroom and the other children.
Self-help skills are important in school. Give your child opportunities at home to do things for themselves such as putting on jackets, putting toys away, and cleaning up after snack time.
If you and your child have fallen out of your bedtime routine this summer, get back into a solid routine! A week before the first day of school is a good time frame in which to begin.
Practice the morning routine that you will be following after preschool starts; doing this during the week or so before school starts will give your child the opportunity to know how the mornings will be going.
What routines have helped your family as you go about day-to-day life?
Or, can you share a time when you were able to embrace an interruption?
