On my first day of kindergarten, I refused to go. My mom had to drag me down the block to the school.
But something magical happened that first morning – and her name was Mrs. Smith, my kindergarten teacher. I had an immediate crush on her. In fact, I was so smitten, I didn’t want to leave that afternoon. So just like my mother had to drag me to school, my teacher had to drag me home.
My mom could have gotten upset that I was being so difficult. Instead, she connected to my heart. She suggested that I ask Mrs. Smith to dinner. And Mrs. Smith was so kind that she agreed. It was my first date.
Well, sort of. My mom and Mrs. Smith talked at the dining room table while I sat in the living room with my TV tray, watching Batman.
My experience isn’t so unusual. The first day of school offers a mix of both challenges and opportunity for every child – and their parents.
Author Erin MacPherson thought she was ready for her son’s first day … until the email came asking parents to say goodbye to their children at the front door and to allow them to walk into the school on their own.
Erin had nightmares about that moment. What if someone picks on him? What if he can’t find his classroom? What if he wanders off?
Erin’s husband wasn’t particularly sympathetic to her concerns. “Are you serious?” he asked. “His classroom is 10 steps from the front door.”
Wherever your experiences fall, every parent is wondering the same thing: How do I get my child off to a good start in grade school and help them succeed?
Erin MacPherson’s book, The Christian Mama’s Guide to the Grade School Years, is a must-have resource for parents of younger children. Not only does Erin share from her personal experience as a mom and a teacher, but she offers solid practical advice that will help make your child’s journey from preschool to Kindergarten to grade school and beyond a little easier.
She is joining us on our radio program with her mom, Ellen Schuknecht, to share insight from their years of experience as moms, authors, and education experts about how to help your child succeed in school.
You can hear “Navigating the Grade School Years” on your local radio station, online, via iTunes or Podcast, or on our free phone app. And for a gift of any amount we’d like to send you a copy of Erin’s book. Check our website for details and please consider giving today.
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