LET'S TALK LIFE - Starting school

• Starting school

Dear Counsellor:

My daughter is starting kindergarten and I am excited about this venture. I want my daughter to excel in school. Any solutions?

- Christina

Dear Christina:

Child rearing is very rewarding and parenting can be challenging.

Going off to kindergarten for the first time is filled with mixed feelings. Child and parent are excited and sad at the same time. Parents are sad because they feel that they are losing their little ones.

The little ones will not need parents as much. The children will have to get used to surrogate parents. The children are indeed afraid of the unknown and unfamiliar people.

You can be prepared to deal with clingy behaviour, crying spells and regressive behaviours. This is a transition period which may last for a few weeks or the entire school year. She will make transition for each school year and the emotional pain will diminish for both parent and student.

Reassure your daughter that you will come back for her and be there just before school close for the day. Don't let her wait too long after the end of the school day. When you pick her up, hug and reassure her that you came back for her.

Be close to the class teacher and tell her the likes and dislikes of your little one. Teacher will have to be mommy and daddy each day. Let her take a favourite toy or book to school. Give her a book with pictures of herself and her family.

In the morning, hand her over to the teacher and leave promptly. She may cry or ran after you. After a while, she will get used to the routine. Each evening, let her tell you about her day. Encourage her to participate in class by cheering her on when she speaks about what goes on in the class.

Encourage your daughter to like books and words in books as well as the pictures. You will need to provide guided exposure so that your daughter can learn from her environment. This is the continuation or her development.

• Off to college

Dear Counsellor:

My son is off to college and I am worried about the adjustment he will have to make. He has a phone and a laptop and we aim to stay in touch.  When I was going to college, they didn't have the technology freely available to keep people in touch. I hope he remains focused and concentrates on his schoolwork.

- Antoinette

Dear Antoinette:

Going off to college is a challenge we encourage our youth to face. Transition is a part of life. He will need to have master several skills to function as an adult.

Money management is important, as he will now have to let his money stretch to pay his bills. He will need to prioritise his purchases and save money for emergencies.

He will need to organise his time and do his chores, schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. Keep in touch with him often and provide guidance and direction. Encourage him to maintain his spirituality and personal relationship with God.

Email questions and comments to Dr Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson at yvonniebd@hotmail.com or phone her at 978-8602.