Your First Grader: Week 1

The First Week of School
For every first grader, the first week of school presents a major challenge. The BIG day is here. Most young children approach the first week of school with feelings of excitement and fear. At one moment, they want to shout for joy, so proud of growing up so fast. The next moment they are ready to cry, fearful of what the future may have in store for them. For parents too there can be mixed feelings: proud to have a child in the first grade, yet sad at the same time that the pre-first-grade years are now over.

What You Can Expect:
Most children approach first grade with joyous abandon, but at times they display contradictory behaviors:

• They're brash and combative one minute; hesitant, dawdling, and indecisive the next.
  
• They're affectionate now; antagonistic later.
• They're over-demanding and explosive this morning; delightful, co-operative, and polite this afternoon.
  

What is happening? Nothing more or less than being a typical growing child. Remember, first grade is a year of transition physically and mentally. Your child will be losing milk (baby) teeth and gaining their permanent teeth. Their body chemistry also changes making them more prone to infectious diseases. Infections of the inner ear as well as nose are frequent. Developmental changes are also occurring in their vision, nerves, and muscles.

Besides physical changes. Your child is now exposed to a much wider world than he or she can easily handle with his/her limited experience. Helping your child achieve balance requires tender and wise management. Praise is the magic tonic. Praise helps your child choose which of the many directions he/she will take. These weekly "Growing Up" advice posts will contain information about first graders that can help you understand and encourage your child in a successful transition from home to school.

*Compiled from the Growing Up Newsletter