In the past two years, both of my daughters have transitioned into Kindergarten. As a parent, it was both emotional and stressful for them and for me. Having lived through two straight years of it, I can share with you 10 tips that will make the transition a smooth one:

1. Visit the School

Most schools host open houses prior to the first day of school. Call to check if you don’t see anything scheduled! When you visit the school with your child, be sure to visit the lunchroom, the bathrooms, and the playground to get them acquainted with the school’s layout and to try and alleviate first day jitters.

2. Ask Questions

If at any time you are unsure about something related to your child’s class or school, ask the teacher or another parent. As a parent, you want to be confident in the details that you tell your child because it will help ease the beginning of school anxiety, so seek out answers when necessary. Teachers are used to questions about the daily class routine, lunch, recess, and after-school, so don’t spend time worrying about whether to ask or not.

3. Practice the Teacher’s Name

It seems like a silly thing, but your child will have much more confidence if he or she goes into school calling the teacher the right name rather than stumbling over what to call her. It is also a safety measure for your child; most schools have adults who help navigate the hallways with the kindergartners, but in case your child gets separated, he or she will be confident in knowing who his or her teacher is.

4. Follow the School Supply List

Schools, and sometimes teachers, have requests that are different than what is noted on the supply request form. Some teachers want students to bring in specific types of pencils or folders, and other teachers don’t want them to bring individual supplies because of a lack of space to store separate supplies. As tempting as it is to run out and buy a cute rolling backpack, it would be heartbreaking to your kindergartner if the rolling backpack won’t fit into his or her cubby. In this case, it is best to wait for the school’s open house or supply request form to ensure that you get what your child’s teacher needs for him or her to have. If your child is set on buying a specific type of markers that is not on the supply request, you can always buy it and keep it in the designated homework area of your house.

5. Prepare the Night Before

Try to do as much as you can the night before to keep the chaos of the first day to a minimum. Lay out clothing and shoes that you both agree on, help your child pack his or her backpack and place it near the door, and pack anything in the lunchbox that can be done ahead of time. Doing these things the night before will help make the morning run smoothly.

6. Get Plenty of Sleep

Kindergartners need 10-12 hours of sleep each night. The beginning of a new school year brings excitement and anxiety over the change in routine, which may make this goal difficult in the first weeks of the new school year. In order to ease some of the restlessness, begin adjusting your child’s bedtime routine in the weeks leading up to the start of school. Be consistent (even on the weekends!) to help the transition. Don’t be surprised if your kindergartner needs a nap after his first week or two in school just try to avoid them in the late afternoons or evenings.

7. Pack Healthy Foods

Food fuels the body, so it is important to allow enough time to start your child’s day with a healthy breakfast. You may even want to take a snack to the bus stop for your child to eat while waiting for the bus. Be sure to pack healthy foods for lunch and snack that will give your child the energy to make it through the school day.

8. Be Prepared to Get Emotional

Parents get emotional when their children reach a new milestone; it is totally to be expected that you may tear up and cry on your child’s first day. Try not to cry in front of your child because you don’t want to upset or confuse him or her. Hopefully, you have been telling your child all about how great school is and how much he or she will love it, so don’t send mixed messages by crying. Instead try to avoid dragging out the goodbye by leaving once your child is comfortable, and go have a good cry in the car or with a friend!

9. Establish Routines Immediately

Whatever routines you want as a parent for the school year need to start on the first day and be consistent. It is up to you to teach them how (and where!) to unpack their bags and lunchboxes, when they need to work on homework, and what is acceptable for after-school snacks. Doing these things each day consistently will not only be helpful for your child, it will also make life easier for YOU!

10. Talk, Talk, Talk

Once your child comes home from school, be sure to talk to him or her all about the school day. Try to avoid asking yes or no questions (such as, Did you have a good day at school?) or questions that can be answered in one word (How was your day at school?); instead you may want to try some of these:

  • Describe your favorite thing you did today. What made it your favorite?
  • What did you like best about your day?
  • What did you like least about your day? What can you do (or what can we do) to make it go better tomorrow?

Believe it or not, questions that require your child to elaborate or explain will help him or her long after kindergarten is over!