Back to school again or the first time? Whichever it is it’s special. Back to school in 2016 gives us parents a lot to think about.
Let’s start with food. Food for vegetarians.
Vegetarians have to prepare their children to fend off the unkind remarks about their diet. I’m sorry but kids echo their parents’ comments. Being vegetarian or vegan at 6 years old means the child’s diet has been this way for a number of years. The child is comfortable. The child knows he or she is particular about what they eat and what they don’t.
Tell them not to be offended as they have probably been in kindergarten and seen these types of behaviors before. Tell them to explain that being vegetarian or vegan means you are eating or not eating what your family has decided. Tell them their food is very special
I was thinking about a quick lunch filler. This is the vegetarian version of a sausage roll.
Use a vegan sausage or tofu sausage. You can make these so quickly using a Pillsbury crescent dough. The trick is: Before you put in the sausage, layer the dough with some strips of nori. Then put in the sausage and wrap.
Nori is dried seaweed and I find children like these as snacks even by themselves. Nori is kinda salty and has vitamins A and C, and calcium.
For vegans, Nori is also one of the only natural, non-animal sources of vitamin B-12.
The taste of the sausage changes after the wrap is baked. It’s really good. Not so bland.
If you are a baker you can use your own flaky pastry dough. It works just as well. Remember to put the dough in the fridge overnight so you can use it in the morning and get back to school on time.
Let’s move onto: Calming down anxiety and /or over-excitement!
Anxiety and over excitement can look very similar.
You tell your preschooler
“Annie, next week you are going to real school now. Big school.”
Silence. “Mom why do I have to leave xxx?”
“Aren’t all you friends leaving also?”
“Yes, but…silence [it will take some talking to find out where the anxiety is coming from]
“What about my books?”
or
“Mom, did you say next seek I am going to real school now?
“Yes. What are you thinking?”
“I am so excited I don’t know what to say”.
“Will I have any friends? Will I have to get new books?”
And the questions continue
Grow Self – Confidence
What am I saying? You have to plan for the event. You cannot hope that your preschooler will automatically adjust and be ready for back to school. He or she is leaving friends most of the time. They want to go but they are not sure if they will be able to make friends all over again.
And this is where the family and the home support is so important. You have to be there every day, morning and evening. You are the anchor.
You have to talk about what happened to day. Who said what and did what. And give them the positive way to deal with it, with all respect for the other child.
Finally watch their self confidence grow as they realize that back to school is just another event as they grow up. If they can conquer the lunch break they can get over almost anything else.