Get Set for Kindergarten...With These Books!

Kindergarten is a big transition. And it can be hard, especially in the beginning.  Getting a child geared up for kindergarten before they cross the threshold paves the way for a successful year. But how can you do it, especially when your own heart is pounding in your chest?

The first step is to understand exactly what your child is nervous about, so you can address it. "All children have some anxiety about beginning anything new, whether kindergarten or junior high school," says Mark L. Goldstein, Ph.D., an adjunct professor at Roosevelt University who works with children, parents, and schools in Illinois. "They are fearful of the unknown, of change, a new teacher, who will be in their class, of making new friends and fitting in, of the "work," of increased expectations (often communicated by parents), of a longer school day, and of being seperated from parents."

That's a lot for a little kid to handle. And talking about it can help, Goldstein says. But how fearful children are depends on a combination of factors. For example, children who've attended preschool five days per week and are going into a half-day kindergarten have less of an adjustment, while children who've attended just two or three half-days per week, or not at all, and are jumping to five full-days of kindergarten have a big change on their plate.

Children with older siblings have heard about kindergarten from their brothers or sisters and have a better idea of what to expect. And their parents have already been through the process with a child, so they have less anxiety about it. "Kids often pick up on cues-- for anxiety or for positive anticipation--from their parents," says Cathleen Rea, Ph.D, a clinical child psychologist with an independent practice in Newport News Virginia. "Kids are phenomenal barometers for their parents' moodstates," she says.

Regardless of whether kindergarten is old hat for your family, or new terrain, here are five ways to make the transition easier for your little learner:

Keep It Positive: It's natural to be nervous about who your child will get as a teacher, whether he'll make friends, and how you'll manage the adjustment. But when it comes to talking with, or in front of kids, keep your eye on a glass half full. How your child approaches this new experience depends a lot on how you present it. "Any effort by parents to talk up the positives about this new experience, to associate it with the wonders and greatness of growing older and smarter, to help your child know where you will be and what you will be doing during the day, and perhaps to plan a special activity for when your child gets home, will help with the positive association with kindergarten," Rea says.

Read Away the Anxiety: One of the best ways to prepare a child for kindergarten is to read books about other children who are dealing with the exact same fears. Reading is a great way to show, not tell, children that everything is going to be all right. It allows parents to present dress-rehearsal for school, but also to introduce kids to role models that show the possible bumps in the road, and how to deal with them. Where to begin? Whether your child is worried about making friends, or where she'll eat lunch, Cheryl Coon, author of Books to Grow With (Lutra Press, 2004) has four favorites to pave the way to kindergarten: