Guest Author - Cheryl Lewis

I have a word of advice for the parent of the new kindergarten student this year. No crying! It's that simple. Parents need to be strong and set good examples. Your behavior on the first day of school can affect your child's long-term school career.

If you go into the classroom crying, sad or with any kind of negative attitude your young child will pick up on it and it will affect them. If you're crying or sad, the child is going to wonder why this makes you sad. What's so bad about kindergarten that it makes mommy or daddy sad?

If you explain to your child that you're going to miss them, you'll be setting them up for a huge case of homesickness within five minutes of you leaving them. Most children get upset thinking that they are being missed, then they miss mommy and daddy even more and they end up on this merry-go-round of emotions.

The idea is to be happy and smiling and let your child know this is a great thing! They are going to have fun, meet new people, make friends, make neat crafts, and just generally enjoy themselves. This is the attitude that parents need to convey. Be supportive! Be positive!

If your child seems distressed about being left at school, explain to them that you'll be back to pick them up or they'll be brought home on the bus at a certain time. Show them on the clock the time that school will be over. Tell them with a smile on your face that you want them to have fun. Make sure they have been properly introduced to the teacher and the teacher has gotten down on their little level so they could get a good look.

There will be kids who don't like school,kids who cry and are sad, kids who throw full-blown tantrums. There will be parents who are sad, will cry and will feel seperation anxiety just as strong as any child's. The trick is knowing that growing up is hard to do, but it's the parents responsibility to help their child through it. Sometimes it's as simple as smiling your way through their first morning of kindergarten and waiting until they can't see or hear you and then crying.

Be sure that you as a parent, try to enjoy at least a few minutes of time to yourself on their first day of kindergarten.