{"id":1234,"date":"2025-07-23T12:03:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T12:03:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/?p=1234"},"modified":"2025-07-23T12:03:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T12:03:50","slug":"transparency-creates-security-how-can-children-and-parents-adapt-to-preschool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/news\/transparency-creates-security-how-can-children-and-parents-adapt-to-preschool\/","title":{"rendered":"Transparency Creates Security \u2013 How Can Children and Parents Adapt to Preschool?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PEP Mom El\u012bna K\u013cavi\u0146a<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summer is often associated with relaxation and carefree moments, but for many families, it is also a time of significant change\u2014especially when a child is about to begin their preschool journey. July is still a great time to start preparing for this new chapter. The relatively calm pace of summer allows families to gradually get familiar with the preschool environment and prepare step by step for the upcoming transition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to understand that adaptation does not concern only the child. It\u2019s a shared process for the whole family. For parents experiencing preschool for the first time, it can be a major event for them as well. In families with multiple children, each new experience may differ\u2014every child is unique, environments change, and so do the parents\u2019 feelings and their own adaptation at every level\u2014child, parent, and educator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adaptation means gradual physical and emotional integration into a new environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to what we know about development, for children up to three or four years old, the presence of an attachment figure is of great importance during this process. An attachment figure is an adult the child knows well and spends time with daily\u2014this can be a parent, grandparent, relative, or nanny. It doesn\u2019t have to be the mother or father specifically, but it\u2019s crucial that the child can calm down with this person. Emotional attachment is the key to feeling safe in a new environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parent Interaction with the Environment, Child, and Staff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am very glad that there are preschools\u2014such as CreaKids (https:\/\/www.creakids.lv\/<\/a>) – that place particular emphasis on ensuring both children and parents feel safe, implementing a well-thought-out adaptation process. For instance, their five-day model includes parents actively participating in the child\u2019s daily life at the preschool during the first two or three days. This presence is not just passive observation\u2014parents interact actively with the environment, the child, and the staff, creating a sense of security for the child. They play together, sit on the floor or at the small tables, explore the playground, restrooms, and other preschool spaces, talk to the teachers\u2014and this behavior signals to the child that everything is fine and the environment is safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents May Carry Anxiety from Previous Experiences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A common question is whether and to what extent a parent\u2019s emotions and anxiety affect the child’s adaptation. The answer: yes, it can have an impact. However, it’s also important to remember that anxiety is normal\u2014it shouldn\u2019t be denied or judged. It comes from the desire to create a safe environment for one\u2019s child. Additionally, parents may carry their own worries from past experiences\u2014difficult pregnancies, the child\u2019s health issues, or even from their own early childhood if their preschool experience was negative. Parents often respond to new stages in their child\u2019s life through the lens of their own past. If a parent had a warm and supportive preschool experience, they\u2019re more likely to feel excited about offering the same to their child. But if they had an unpleasant experience, or never attended preschool at all, letting go can trigger insecurity. What matters most is to acknowledge these feelings, understand their roots, and, ideally, share them with a trusted person. That\u2019s why emotional support for parents during the adaptation period is crucial\u2014this support may come from a partner, friend, PEP mom, or preschool staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Support Your Child, You Need to Feel Well Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents play a huge role in ensuring a smooth adaptation process. However, we can\u2019t fully support our child if we don\u2019t feel well ourselves. That\u2019s why I encourage parents to take care of themselves too. Comfortable clothing, a proper breakfast, good sleep\u2014these simple things help parents remain emotionally available for their child, which is especially important during this major transition. If a parent feels anxious about even a few hours of separation, that\u2019s okay too. The key isn\u2019t to suppress those feelings or pretend they don\u2019t exist, but to become aware of them and explore their origins. What exactly am I feeling? Am I worried about my child\u2019s difficulties, or am I grieving the start of a new stage in which my child is no longer only with me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clearer the adult is about their own feelings, the less likely it is that their anxiety will affect the child. Awareness helps the parent stay present for the child\u2019s needs, to provide support instead of becoming lost in their own inner turmoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Photo Album of the Preschool Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child is set to begin preschool in September, it’s not too late\u2014you can still make some simple changes that will help the child adjust. It\u2019s advisable to gradually align the family\u2019s daily routine with the preschool schedule\u2014wake-up times, meals, outdoor play. If the child is already familiar with this rhythm, the transition will be easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One highly practical and valuable suggestion often mentioned by Montessori educators is to create a small photo album for your child with pictures of the actual preschool environment. These can include rooms, the yard, toys, and, if possible, the child themselves during a familiarization visit to the preschool. Looking through these photos together and discussing them will give the child a greater sense of predictability, which in turn strengthens their feeling of safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask Questions to the Preschool Staff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I encourage parents to ask questions to preschool staff\u2014learn about the daily routine and what your child can expect. This will give you a sense of security and help build trust in the preschool. Avoid saying things that could frighten your child like, \u201cYou\u2019ll see what happens in preschool,\u201d or \u201cJust wait till you start preschool\u201d\u2014this kind of language isn\u2019t helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preschool and social interaction with peers can bring many benefits to a child\u2019s development, especially when supportive adults\u2014like preschool teachers\u2014are by the child\u2019s side. This is especially vital for younger children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adaptation \u2013 A Cornerstone for Future Life Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well-thought-out adaptation process benefits everyone\u2014children, parents, and even educators. For the child, this experience forms the foundation for emotional security, teaches trust, flexibility, and provides a first experience of interacting outside the family. We can\u2019t foresee every situation, but we can create an environment where the child feels safe to face the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During adaptation, the child learns to become part of a new environment, and the parent learns a new role\u2014being supportive, trusting other adults, and allowing the child to grow outside of their own presence. When this journey is taken together, mindfully and with empathy, it becomes a cornerstone not only for a successful preschool experience but also for future life stages\u2014school, friendships, relationships, and even adult professional life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I encourage parents to prepare not just the child for preschool, but also themselves, and to understand that adaptation is a process in which there is no \u201cright\u201d or \u201cwrong.\u201d I also encourage preschools to act responsibly and implement thoughtful, evidence-based transition processes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PEP Mom El\u012bna K\u013cavi\u0146a Summer is often associated with relaxation and carefree moments, but for many families, it is also…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,25],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1234"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1234"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1234\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1235,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1234\/revisions\/1235"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happykids.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}