Preparing My Baby for School....

Recognize that preschool teachers have seen it all, so there's just about nothing your daughter can do that will be shocking or new to them. If she falls and gets hurt, they will be there to give her hugs (and so will the other kids), if she has a potty accident, they'll clean it up. If you've found the right school, the experience should be very positive.

You may be surprised, too, that your daughter finds her voice at preschool. One of our friend's daughters is very small, just like yours, and used to be very quiet. Wow, after starting preschool, now she speaks up, is clear and is far less apprehensive about everything. It's been amazing for her.

The best thing you can do is be very positive with her about preschool, play it up and smile, smile, smile when you drop her off. If she sees your nervousness, it will only make her anxious, so do an Academy Award winning performance. :)

You sound like a delightfully loving mother. While you still consider her your BABY. It may be helpful to consider her your little girl. She has to grow and develop into an independentm, responsible, reliable, considerate and caring human being and too many other wonderful attributes to name. Your role/job as her mother is to facilitate that process. So while you may be sweating and crying on the inside about the milestones in her life, your job is to celebrate her and cheer her into her next steps of growing and development. You're doing a great job by having her participate in ballet and other activities without you. Be courageous because life and living can be hard but she will learn with you at her side teaching her how to handle life's difficulties.

All too soon she will be a junior in high school like my son and getting ready to take SAT's and looking at colleges and out of your house and looking forward to it.

Continue to encourage her and study her reactions and responses. Help her with her speaking by not speaking baby talk to her and helping her learn how to properly pronounce things so she can be understood. Try not to worry but if you must don't let her see your sweat. You don't want her to be anxious because you are.

T.,

She'll be O.K., she will fall and perhaps skin her knee, she might have an accident (send a change with her) and she probably will cry, so will you. But purpose of sending her is to let her take the next step and be around other children. This will also give you one on one with your 17 month old.

Blessings....

My daughter sounds JUST like yours! Mine turned 4 about 3 weeks before I put her in preschool (a decision I regret btw: don't think it's done enough good to make it really worth it), had a little trouble with speaking clearly and was small for her age. At that point I'd only spent 1 night away from her (when I was in the hospital having her little sister!) and she was quite the mama's girl.

I was all prepared for tears (on both our ends; I was pregnant again), but once the door opened and the teacher invited the children in I didn't even get a second glance - never mind a hug or kiss! She was SO excited about going that she didn't even look back :o) I have to admit it stung a little, but I was more proud of her than I'd ever been <3

I think this is a first step, in a LONG line of them, in 'letting go'. They'll never learn to speak up and branch out if we don't let them.

And remember, the only people who NEVER fail are those who never TRY!

My son goes to daycare part time. If you can afford it, that might be a good transition for you. Find one that has more of a "classroom" set-up. The socialization will probably help, as well as exposure to more kids and more talking, etc. This way, you can BOTH ease into it. I know it's hard - I have a one and only kiddo too, but you CAN'T be with them 24/7 for the rest of their lives. The best thing you can do is to help her take care of herself and function in the world. You're doing great - breathe, relax, it'll be fine :)

Does the school you are going to have an open house? For both preschool, and now kindergarten I have taken my daughter to the open house so she can be there with me in the new place, just to get a feel for what is coming. Preschool teachers are amazing and if they have been doing it for awhile they have seen it all and will be able to handle it all.

For me I only did preschool twice a week, just morning. My daughter is an only child and we are very close too. Hubby hates how close we are and I try to make a point to me daughter that just because we are girls daddy has to be included too. It was easier since I knew I still had her the majority of the time, and I ran small errands or cleaned the house while she was in preschool. I would not put your fears onto her by talking about it a lot, instead if SHE brings something up then address it and let her know that the teachers are nice and will help her so do not be afriad to ask them (or whatever she is worried about).

Anyway for kindergarten, which she will start in fall 2011, the school we have decided on is full day!!! I had spent the past 3 months preparing myself for the 5 days a week in the morning but not full day... so I have a bit of a "what will I do? My baby is growing up!" moments going on. My daughter is a little scaried too, but I keep putting the positive spin on everything and I do not let her know that I am freaking out. When she brings it up I let her know that she is great at making friends, that she has met the teacher already, visited the classroom twice, and after a few days she will have some new best friends. I do let her know that I will miss her but that everyday I will drop her off and pick her up, waiting there for a hug and a kiss. When she is not around I have talked with my mom and hubby about my anxiety about it, they help but in the end I just need to find the positives about it just I am showing to my daughter.

As a teacher I promise you it's much harder on you then on her-Always!
As a mommy I'll tell you what I did to prepare my little one for his first time in school, taught him to hand his coat on a hook, made sure his pants were easy to pull down and pull up -no overalls, fancy belts etc, made sure he could wash his hands by himself AND I had early intervention services work with him on his speech, so he could catch up with the majority of his peers. By age four your daughter should be understandable, although she would not have mastered l, r, th or s blends. Listen to other children her age. A Preschool teacher is an expert at understanding typical four yr old speech but if you think your daughter is delayed in her speech, Have her evaluated she may qualify for speech therapy and you'll feel better about sending her to school in the fall if she can make her self understood.

My daughter started kindergarten at 4. She graduated at 17. These were things I didn't feel ready for, but I had little choice. SHE was ready.
It's hard to let go, but I think we have to.
She will always be your baby, but this is a big, wonderful world for her to explore and find her place in.
I think your little girl will be fine and she may truly flourish around other kids in pre-school. Deep down, I'm sure that's what you want for her.
She's only 4. She's not leaving home for good just yet. You have many, many days and years of firsts for her.
I think this will be harder on you than it is on her, but you'll get through it.
I DO know how you feel.
My first baby is getting ready to have a baby of her own in May. It blows my mind. But, I am so proud of the beautiful woman that she's become and I know she will be a wonderful mother.
It's the cycle of life.
One of my friends had a beautiful thing hanging in her living room and I've never forgotten it.
It says, "We give our children two things. One is roots, the other is wings."

It's true.
I really wish you the best.

I got teary eyed reading your question. My little one will be three in a few weeks and we have signed her up for preschool in the fall. I am NOT ready for her to go. She WANTS to go. :(

I feel like it's more of me not wanting to let her go and grow up, than it is all the reasons I have come up with...which many are the same as yours. Reading your question...I literally thought.."OMG, she isn't sending her child until she is 4, there you go, another reason I should keep her home!" UGH....

I wish I had guidance, but I will be reading all the reponses to your question to hopefully find some! (((HUGS)))