Your baby will soon go to kindergarten for the first time. Of course, you are very worried about how he will react to the changes in his life, whether he will like it in the garden, whether he will quickly get used to it. You imagine a lot of problems and try to solve them in your imagination. What real problems might you and your baby have to face, and how can you make the adaptation process smoother? When the girl, who had recently turned three years old, came to kindergarten for the first time, her mother could not get enough of it: her daughter demanded that she be undressed quickly and ran to the group to look at new toys. Mom said to the girl: “Bye, daughter!”, but the girl didn’t even hear, she was so busy. When her mother came for her two hours later, the girl was playing calmly, and it seemed that she didn’t even want to leave. The next day, the mother did not expect any problems, believing that her daughter got used to it right away. But it was not there! My daughter put up a real fight in the locker room, did not allow herself to be undressed, cried and asked her mother: “Don’t leave!” She resisted and did not want to enter the group, but then the teacher came to the rescue. She took the girl in her arms and told her mother to go. Mom left in a completely different mood than yesterday. When she came to pick up her daughter, she found her with tear-stained eyes. It turned out that she had been sitting in the corner all this time, not eating anything and not even going near the toys. The mother wondered whether her decision to send her child to kindergarten was correct and whether the girl could get used to it? This situation is very typical. Many mothers, bringing their children to kindergarten for the first time, are surprised at how easily they enter the group and, it would seem, do not worry at all about their departure. But the following days show that not everything is so simple and the baby is very worried. Of course, there are children who cry from day one. There are also children who really don’t cry and happily run to the group, both on the first and subsequent days. But there are very few such children. For others, the adaptation process is not at all easy. Adaptation is the adaptation of the body to changing external conditions. This process requires a lot of mental energy and often takes place with tension, or even overstrain of the mental and physical forces of the body. It is very difficult for children of any age to start visiting the garden, because their whole life changes dramatically. The following changes literally burst into the child’s usual, established life: a clear daily routine; the absence of relatives nearby; constant contact with peers; the need to listen and obey a previously unfamiliar person; a sharp decrease in personal attention. For some it is easy and for others it is difficult. Some children adapt relatively easily, and their negative aspects go away within 1–3 weeks. For others it is somewhat more difficult, and adaptation can last about 2 months, after which their anxiety is significantly reduced. If the child has not adapted after 3 months, such adaptation is considered difficult and requires the help of a psychologist. Who is easier to adapt? Children whose parents prepared them for visiting the kindergarten in advance, several months before this event. This preparation could consist of parents reading fairy tales about visiting kindergarten, playing “kindergarten” with toys, walking near the kindergarten or on its territory, telling the child that he would have to go there. If the parents took the opportunity and introduced the child to the teachers in advance, then it will be much easier for the child (especially if he did not just see this “aunt” for a few minutes, but was able to communicate with her and go to the group while the mother was nearby). Children who are physically healthy, i.e. having neither chronic diseases nor a predisposition to frequent colds. During the adaptation period, all the body’s forces are tense, and when you can direct them to get used to something new, without also spending it on fighting the disease, this is a good “start”. Children with independence skills. This includes dressing (at least to a small extent), potty etiquette, and eating independently.If a child knows how to do all this, he does not waste energy on urgently learning this, but uses already developed skills. Children whose regime is close to the kindergarten regime. A month before visiting the kindergarten, parents should begin to adjust the child’s routine to what awaits him in the kindergarten: 7:30 – getting up, washing, dressing; 8:30 is the deadline to come to the garden; 8:40 – breakfast, 10:30 – walk, 12:00 – return from a walk, 12:15 – lunch, 13:00 – 15:00 – nap, 15:30 – afternoon snack. In order to get up easily in the morning, it is better to go to bed no later than 20:30. Children whose diet is close to the garden diet. If a child sees more or less familiar food on a plate, he quickly begins to eat in the garden, and eating and drinking is the key to a more balanced state. The basis of the diet is porridge, cottage cheese casseroles and cheesecakes, omelettes, various cutlets (meat, chicken and fish), stewed vegetables and, of course, soups. It is difficult for children who do not meet one or more conditions (the more, the more difficult it will be). It is especially difficult for children who perceive going to kindergarten as a surprise due to the fact that their parents did not consider it necessary to talk about it. There are situations when a visit to kindergarten begins unexpectedly for objective reasons (for example, due to a serious illness of a grandmother who had previously cared for the child at home). And, oddly enough, it is often difficult for those children whose mothers (or other relatives) work in the garden. Why is he acting this way? Many features of a child’s behavior during the period of adaptation to kindergarten frighten parents so much that they wonder: will the child be able to adapt to kindergarten at all, will this “horror” ever end? We can say with confidence: those behavioral features that worry parents very much are basically typical for all children in the process of adaptation. During this period, almost all mothers think that it is their child who is “non-kindergarten,” and the rest of the kids supposedly behave and feel better. But that's not true. Here are common changes in a child's behavior during the adjustment period. Emotions of a child In the first days of being in the garden, negative emotions are much more pronounced: from whining, “crying for company” to constant paroxysmal crying. Particularly striking are the manifestations of fear (the baby is clearly afraid to go to kindergarten, is afraid of the teacher or that the mother will not return for him), anger (when the baby breaks free, not allowing himself to be undressed, or may even hit an adult who is about to leave him), depressive reactions and “lethargy,” as if there were no emotions at all. In the first days, the child experiences few positive emotions. He is very upset about parting with his mother and his familiar environment. If the baby smiles, it is mainly a reaction to novelty or to a bright stimulus (an unusual toy, “animated” by an adult, a fun game). Be patient! Negative emotions will definitely be replaced by positive ones, indicating the end of the adaptation period. But the baby can cry for a long time when parting, and this does not mean that adaptation is going badly. If the child calms down within a few minutes after the mother leaves, then everything is fine. Contacts with peers and teacher In the first days, the child's social activity decreases. Even sociable, optimistic children become tense, withdrawn, restless, and uncommunicative. We must remember that children 2–3 years old do not play together, but nearby. They have not yet developed story-based play that involves multiple children. Therefore, do not be upset if your child does not interact with other kids yet. The fact that adaptation is proceeding successfully can be judged by the fact that the baby interacts more and more willingly with the teacher in the group, responds to his requests, and follows routine moments. Cognitive activity At first, cognitive activity may be reduced or even completely absent due to stress reactions. Sometimes the child is not even interested in toys. Many children need to sit on the sidelines to get their bearings.environment. In the process of successful adaptation, the child gradually begins to master the space of the group, his “forays” into toys will become more frequent and bold, the child will begin to ask cognitive questions to the teacher. Skills Under the influence of new external influences at first, the baby may “lose” self-care skills for a short time (the ability to use a spoon, handkerchief, potty, etc.). The success of adaptation is determined by the fact that the child not only “remembers” what was forgotten, but you, with surprise and joy, note the new achievements that he learned in the garden. Features of speech Some children's vocabulary becomes scarcer or “lighter” words and sentences appear. Don't worry! Speech will be restored and enriched when adaptation is completed. Motor activity Some children become “inhibited”, and some become uncontrollably active. It depends on the child's temperament. Activities at home are also changing. A good sign is the restoration of normal activity at home, and then in the kindergarten. Sleep If your child is left to nap during the day, he will have difficulty falling asleep during the first few days. The baby may jump up or, having fallen asleep, soon wake up crying. At home, you may also experience restless sleep during the day and at night. By the time adaptation is completed, sleep both at home and in the garden will certainly return to normal. Appetite At first, the child may have a decreased appetite. This is due to unusual food (both the appearance and taste are unusual), as well as stress reactions - the baby simply does not want to eat. A good sign is the restoration of appetite. The baby may not eat everything on the plate, but he begins to eat. Health At this time, the body's resistance to infections decreases, and the child may get sick in the first month (or even earlier) of visiting kindergarten. Of course, many mothers expect that the negative aspects of the baby’s behavior and reaction will go away in the very first days. And they get upset or even angry when this doesn’t happen. Usually adaptation takes place in 3–4 weeks, but can take 3–4 months. Take your time, not all at once! How a mother can help Every mother, seeing how difficult it is for her child, wants to help him adapt faster. And that is great. The set of measures is to create a caring environment at home that is gentle on the baby’s nervous system, which is already working at full capacity. In the presence of the child, always speak positively about the teachers and the kindergarten. Even if you didn't like something. If a child has to go to this kindergarten and this group, it will be easier for him to do this, respecting the teachers. Talk about this not only with the baby. Tell someone in his presence what a good kindergarten the child now goes to and what wonderful teachers work there. On weekends, do not change the child’s daily routine. You can let him sleep a little longer, but you shouldn’t let him “sleep off” for too long, which can significantly shift the daily routine. If your child needs to “sleep off,” it means that your sleep schedule is not organized correctly, and perhaps the baby goes to bed too late in the evening. Do not wean your child off “bad” habits (for example, the pacifier) ​​during the adaptation period, so as not to overload the baby’s nervous system. There are too many changes in his life now, and there is no need for unnecessary stress. Try to ensure that your baby is surrounded by a calm and conflict-free atmosphere at home. Hug your baby more often, pat him on the head, say kind words. Celebrate his successes and improvements in behavior. Praise more than scold. He really needs your support now! Be more tolerant of whims. They arise due to overload of the nervous system. Hug the baby, help him calm down and switch to another activity (game). Give him a small toy (preferably a soft one) in the garden. Babies of this age may need a toy - a substitute for their mother. By holding something soft to yourself, which is a part of home, the child will be much calmer. Call for help from a fairy tale or game. You can come up with your own fairy tale about.