How to Help My Child Transition to Kindergarten and Focus During Lessons
Parent Asks:
My daughter has started Kindergarten and I don’t know what to do. She leaves for school at 7:45 in the morning and gets back around 3:30. It is a long day for her and she often seems so tired when she gets home from school. She has had a very hard time focusing during her music lesson since school has started. It feels like after paying attention at school all day she just can’t do it anymore. She gets plenty of sleep every night, often she is in bed by 6:30 pm.
She absolutely loves piano and her Music Teacher LA’s instructor. Do you have any advice on how to get her to transition to kindergarten and focus?
I Answer:
Thank you for your question and for giving me an idea for my blog topic. I am really happy to hear that your daughter loves her Piano lessons with one of our talented piano teachers!
For any child, It’s not easy to adjust to a new schedule. Even adults feel stressed the first few months at a new job.
The good thing is kids are very resilient and get accustomed to a new routine and environment over time.
What can you do to help your daughter? I would schedule a piano lesson close to the time she is getting back from school. For example, if your child gets home by 3:30, I’d schedule her lessons at 3:50-4 pm giving her 10 minutes to wash hands and get some snack, and 10-15 minutes to bond with you.
Bonding with a parent helps a child to release a school stress of dealing with new classmates/teacher/new learning information and feel relieved that there is always a warm and safe place, called home.
Because every child is different, I’d alternate the quiet bonding time such as cuddling on the couch and talking for a few minutes before the lesson, with playing a ball or catch outside. The latter usually works better for outgoing children, and the quiet bonding style might be a more suitable activity for a child who is very shy at school and has a desire to feel a comfort of your hug, love and conversation about a stressful to the child situation at school.
Furthermore, when children start kindergarten, they often begin having school responsibilities for the first time in their lives. The school responsibilities are more demanding than the ones kids have at home, because the teacher’s and even classmates’ judgement at school is much more scary than the reprimand of a parent for a task, such as not cleaning a room. However, children begin learning to carry on their daily responsibilities of doing homework, practicing music, and keeping a schedule at this age. So, the regular music lessons largely improve and help the kids’ overall character development.
Some children ages 5-6 are doing well when they have their music lessons scheduled over the weekend- any time of the day. The reason for that is, again, kids feel safe and comfortable when their loving parents are around. However, if you have a habit of going out for a meal/visit as a family every weekend, do not change your weekend routine!
Instead, keep the regular routine of school, music lessons, play time, bonding time, and rest time for your daughter. The regular routine makes children feel safe and secure.
3-6 months down the road, you will begin noticing that your child is happily adjusted to her school and new friends and teachers at school, and also does her piano assignments regularly as well. It just takes some time. Transitions are good for children, they teach them to adjust well in life. 🙂
Thank you.