Above all, we want your child’s experience at Children’s House to be a positive one. We are here for the children — to share the joy of learning and exploring together – and we want them to be happy and excited to come to school each day!
When your child comes for her visit to the classroom, we will assess her approach to the teachers, whether she enters the classroom willingly, and how she engages with the materials she is presented. A child who is still too young for our program will oftentimes be unable to separate from her parents for the visit. She may pull away from the teacher when she takes his hand, or will display unwillingness to go with the teacher by lying on the floor, running away, etc. That’s okay! We will adapt and find a way to connect with her before the visit is over.
While all children experience some sort of transition period upon beginning a school program, children who are ready for the change will adapt and flourish relatively quickly. Other children may take a little longer, but our teachers will keep your posted about your child’s adjustment to the classroom and will make recommendations to ease his or her transition in the days prior to their start day and during their first few weeks.
All children must be toilet-trained to begin at Children’s House. Your child needs to be willing to sit on the toilet when we ask him to, and tell us when he needs to go. We will help in the bathroom until he can do it on his own. If your child is not fully toilet-trained at the time of his visit to the classroom, please be sure to tell the teacher you meet with so we can work on a plan together.
Depending on your child’s anticipated start date, we will make a plan to work with your family to ensure a smooth transition to the classroom when the time comes. For some this may include a week or two of summer camp, for others we might gradually increase the length of their day until they are staying for their full program time. We are always willing to work with parents who have their child’s success in mind and will work with you to ensure your child’s transition is a positive one.
When a child is not emotionally or developmentally ready for school, the experience can be a stressful one for both parent and child. Tears and high emotions can come into play and what could be a fun experience becomes unpleasant and challenging. Children who are not emotionally ready may be frustrated in our classroom environments, where they will be told, “no,” when a material is off-limits to them, or where they will be asked to walk instead of run.
If it is determined that a child will not be ready to start at CHMS by the first day of the new school year, a new start date will be decided, in collaboration with the child’s parents.
Rest assured that we will work with your family to make the experience of starting at Children’s House a positive one for everyone involved!
