Trusting Your Gut
I was interviewed for an article in the Northern Virginia Parent Magazine. Here is an excerpt:
Just Not the Right Fit
One warning sign that a child’s care situation is not working out is when his or her teacher is constantly frustrated and exasperated, and only has negative things to report, says Rachna Varia, co-founder of MindWell Psychology, a practice of child psychologists located in Chantilly. Preschool teachers should be able to balance out their reports with at least one positive thing to say about a student, she adds.
For infants and toddlers, who are at an age when they can’t yet express their feelings, Varia says parents will be warned in several ways if their child’s center is not working out. “Young children often cannot be consoled, they show regressed behavior, or there is a dramatic change in their sleep routine,” says Varia.
In order to prepare infants and toddlers for entering preschool, Varia suggests parents read back-to-school books like “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn, or “DJ Goes to Preschool” from the Arthur series by Marc Brown. Varia also says parents should “prepare children through play dates or by leaving them with a babysitter so they know the parents will come back.” She suggests parents tell their young children about a special event they plan to do with them after their first big day at school.
When it is taking a month or more for a child of any age to adapt to their new preschool—meaning they go to school crying or are still upset at the end of the day—the facility may not be a good fit, Varia says.
When a child doesn’t adapt to one particular program, it doesn’t mean they’ll never adapt to another, says Varia. “Montessori school might be better for more independent kids, while other children need more group structure. Some children might do better going to preschool three hours a day, three days a week, rather than a full-time program.”
For more information and the complete article, go to www.northervirginiamag.com/dacares-trusting-their-gut/
Rachna Varia, PhD
Just Not the Right Fit
One warning sign that a child’s care situation is not working out is when his or her teacher is constantly frustrated and exasperated, and only has negative things to report, says Rachna Varia, co-founder of MindWell Psychology, a practice of child psychologists located in Chantilly. Preschool teachers should be able to balance out their reports with at least one positive thing to say about a student, she adds.
For infants and toddlers, who are at an age when they can’t yet express their feelings, Varia says parents will be warned in several ways if their child’s center is not working out. “Young children often cannot be consoled, they show regressed behavior, or there is a dramatic change in their sleep routine,” says Varia.
In order to prepare infants and toddlers for entering preschool, Varia suggests parents read back-to-school books like “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn, or “DJ Goes to Preschool” from the Arthur series by Marc Brown. Varia also says parents should “prepare children through play dates or by leaving them with a babysitter so they know the parents will come back.” She suggests parents tell their young children about a special event they plan to do with them after their first big day at school.
When it is taking a month or more for a child of any age to adapt to their new preschool—meaning they go to school crying or are still upset at the end of the day—the facility may not be a good fit, Varia says.
When a child doesn’t adapt to one particular program, it doesn’t mean they’ll never adapt to another, says Varia. “Montessori school might be better for more independent kids, while other children need more group structure. Some children might do better going to preschool three hours a day, three days a week, rather than a full-time program.”
For more information and the complete article, go to www.northervirginiamag.com/dacares-trusting-their-gut/
Rachna Varia, PhD
Labels: preschool
posted by Speaking The Mind at
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
