I'll add to prep your child that the school supplies may be shared depending on your school. My son was very upset when he went to meet the teacher and he had to take his new school supplies and dump them in a common area. He doesn't mind sharing usually, but this totally threw him since he thought they were his. It really stuck in his mind because he keeps telling his little sister to prepare for that on her first day.

Find a mom in the class who had kids in older grades at the school. Sometimes things are just "done" at the school that all the BTDT parents know and nobody thinks to tell the K parents. Like at our school it's tradition to decorate the teachers' doors the Friday afternoon before teacher appreciation week starts- I was room mom and NOBODY told me. PTA didn't mention anything in their many emails about what to do on which day. Also, class assignments aren't mailed past K, they're posted the Tuesday before school starts. Didn't know that until my source with 4th grade kids told me. So find someone like that who can clue you in on stuff that is so obvious to everyone else they neglect to tell the new K parents because they assume they just know.

Anonymous wrote:For all the MCPS elementary schools I know of, Kindergartners sit in the first row of the bus and are escorted to either their lines and or classrooms buy the 5th grade patrols.

+1.

At our school, the kg kids ride the bus the first day and almost all parents drive after to take pictures and say bye. Kg kids go to the cafeteria to wait for class to start - while the older kids may play on the playground. Fifth grade patrols hang out in the cafeteria with an adult chaperone until the teachers come to take the kids to class. Our school recommend not buying lunch the first week - they think it's too much for the kg kids to think about, so the teachers take the kids through the lunch line for practice and teach them their codes to buy lunch, but they advise bringing for the whole first week. ivd found that the first week or two is always a big adjustment - especially in terms of the bus routes - if it's possible, I would pick up by carpool for the first week, just until the bus routine is settled.

Anonymous wrote:
That is one thing I hadn't thought about. Maybe I will visit the school the first few weeks and help her do that. I also pack lunches, and while I know she would probably like to eat some of the things they offer, she will likely be far too intimidated to try it.

If you think you are helping by coming the first few times, you are going to be very disappointed. She is going to assume you will be there from then on.

First, you need to have confidence that hundreds of kids start K each year and these teachers and the school know what they are doing.

Second, you need to have confidence in your daughter, that she can learn these new things and that learning these new things is going to be tiring, but are important for her development and growth as a person.

I think a few things that helped my DC in K were: 1) make sure DC knows that the classroom assistant can help you get lunch, can help answer your questions. For us, this person was the more important figure as it was the classroom assistant who was with kids at lunch, took them to recess and their specials. So a very important person in DC's first month! 2) do everything on day one that is what you plan to do. in our case that was riding the bus, extended day after school. 3) your DC is going to get wiped out at first. it's a lot to take in and learn. plan some easy suppers, early nights. stick to your routines. it gets better as they adjust, which in our case took 2.5 months.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Expect your child to be really tired by the end of the day. Even if she's used to full day daycare, kindergarten is different. So make as few demands on her as possible in the evening and plan on an early bedtime.

+1000

It took a couple months for my child to really adjust. I had registered for afternoon/evening activities as well because I never anticipated how tired she would be and we had to drop them.

K Teacher here
Early dinner (possibly when she gets home from school) and early bedtime is a must.
It takes about a month to adjust. The children are SO at dismissal. We are a 7:30am start school and it's not unusual for parents to tell them their child goes to bed at 7pm.

For all the MCPS elementary schools I know of, Kindergartners sit in the first row of the bus and are escorted to either their lines and or classrooms buy the 5th grade patrols.

Why don't you ask (pay) one of the older girls to sit with her for the first week on the bus? This will alleviate everyone's concerns. Also, ask one of the neighborhood kids/moms how chaotic the first few days were for them?

Anonymous wrote:How did you make sure he bought lunch the first week, 1237. Were you with him?

That is one thing I hadn't thought about. Maybe I will visit the school the first few weeks and help her do that. I also pack lunches, and while I know she would probably like to eat some of the things they offer, she will likely be far too intimidated to try it.

12:37 here. The way I made sure he bought was by a) not packing lunch that day b) sending his teachers a note that he would be buying so they knew and c) writing down his lunch PIN on his hand. They have a list of the kids' PINs in case people forget, too.

Anonymous wrote:The bus can be crowded and unhelpful. Just check it out. I was surprised by the meanness of the older children.

I think you're just trying to scare the OP. My DD was new to our local ES last year and there are 5th graders on the bus whose very job it is to look out for the younger ones, help them on and off. Plus we have a really caring bus driver who within 2 days knew all the kids by name and actively checked they were on the bus (morning and afternoon).

She will be fine OP. Start her on the bus. Best to start at the beginning with everyone else then its not a big deal and there is no variation where you drive (it is hell usually, driving).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you make sure he bought lunch the first week, 1237. Were you with him?

That is one thing I hadn't thought about. Maybe I will visit the school the first few weeks and help her do that. I also pack lunches, and while I know she would probably like to eat some of the things they offer, she will likely be far too intimidated to try it.

There are people in the beginning to walk them through it. The teachers don't normally eat with the students but for the first couple of weeks they went to help everyone who wanted to do so buy their lunches. You really don't have to think you need to go into the school to teach them things. That is what the school staff is there for. Also, you can teach her to ask for lunch.

meant to say help. Teach her to ask for help.

Anonymous wrote:How did you make sure he bought lunch the first week, 1237. Were you with him?

That is one thing I hadn't thought about. Maybe I will visit the school the first few weeks and help her do that. I also pack lunches, and while I know she would probably like to eat some of the things they offer, she will likely be far too intimidated to try it.

There are people in the beginning to walk them through it. The teachers don't normally eat with the students but for the first couple of weeks they went to help everyone who wanted to do so buy their lunches. You really don't have to think you need to go into the school to teach them things. That is what the school staff is there for. Also, you can teach her to ask for lunch.

And PP, I am not sure I could have stood there while DC was tugging at me to not get on the bus. In that case, I would have driven her, I think. That seems so traumatic.

How did you make sure he bought lunch the first week, 1237. Were you with him?

That is one thing I hadn't thought about. Maybe I will visit the school the first few weeks and help her do that. I also pack lunches, and while I know she would probably like to eat some of the things they offer, she will likely be far too intimidated to try it.