Help out the first-timers - best tips/advice for starting FCPS.
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Anonymous
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My son will be starting FCPS in a few weeks. He's my oldest, so I'm totally new to this and somewhat intimidated. Any of you BTDT parents have some words of wisdom, hints, or advice to share with us newcomers? What do you wish you had known before your child started?
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Anonymous
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It's only kindergarten (I'm assuming, unless you moved here.). Your expectations are higher than what is actually going to happen. Chill.
We all waste lots of time worrying on our oldest that we learn and get wiser with the additional kids. |
Anonymous
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Does he have any medical issues like asthma or food allergies? If so, do you have all the required forms filled out and have you brought forms and meds to the clinic?
The other thing I learned the hard way was about lunch. It is short, and they love talking. Send a small, non-complicated lunch and water. My dd says they don't get enough time to drink water, so she was constipated especially at first. |
Anonymous
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Agreed. He's going into 1st grade. He does have asthma and tree nut allergies. The tree nut allergies aren't airborne, and he's responsible enough to know what he can and can not eat, but he will need to have an epipen at school in case of emergency. |
Anonymous
| If he needs an EpiPen, go to the FCPS website and download the Epi authorization form and have it filled out by your allergist or pediatrician. The school will need this form in hand before they'll take your EpiPen; i.e., you want to give it to them either as he walks in the door or, ideally, a few days before. In my experience, they don't bend on this. Also, they won't let your son deliver the Epi--a parent needs to drop it off. |
Anonymous
| If he complains about the teacher, don't assume things are actually as they seem. Give the teacher the benefit of the doubt. I'm forever grateful to the mom who didn't believe her son when he told her that I(the teacher) had told him that 2+2 was 5. |
Anonymous
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They don't really have enough time to eat lunch, so keep it simple for him.
Go to the open house next week, if possible. You and he will get to meet his teacher and see his classroom. You can drop off his school supplies there. Really organized teachers will have a copy of what their basic daily schedule will be like, and will ask you to jot down anything you think they need to know about your child. |
Anonymous
Funny! |
Anonymous
Exactly. |
Anonymous
| Volunteer. Then you know what is going on at school |
Anonymous
And you can start sucking up to the faculty and administrators to get your kid into AAP in the 3rd grade. |
Anonymous
Oh please, this has nothing to do with anything. |
Anonymous
| You will get inundated by paperwork and emails, so try to figure out a system now for keeping track of them. |
Anonymous
| Make sure you check his backpack regularly or check it with him so he gets into a routine. My son is going into third grade and still forgets to give stuff to me that needs to be signed. |
Anonymous
| Get into a system of throwing the paperwork away. You do not need to buy or participate in all the things they request. |