What if they cry? What if none of their friends are in their class? What if they get tired? What if they get hungry? What if they do not like their teacher?

All these thoughts may be running through your mind as you prepare your little ones for school. These are all normal questions. Let me help ease your mind by saying, in 22 years of starting the school year, it is harder for the kindergarten parents than it is for the kindergarten students!

You’ve been talking about school, now you need to set routines for getting up and ready for school. At our house we practiced our “school day” routines for two weeks before school actually started. That meant getting up at 6:45 a.m. for breakfast, getting dressed, brushing our teeth, all those morning routines that got sidelined during summer vacation. We would have lunch around 11:30 am, we drank water all day long, and the kitchen and refrigerator were off limits. We would then also establish our evening and bedtime school routines, putting our backpacks in the same place every night, finding a spot for jackets and the folder/homework, reading night time stories, and in bed at the school night bedtime we established as a family. When the first day of school rolled around, our family was ready to get up early and go to bed on time.

Let me try to answer some questions you might still have:

Will my student cry? Yes, they might cry and that is okay. You can reassure them that they are safe, that you will be coming back for them or you will see them when the school/work day is over. You can also reassure them that everyone else, including the teachers are just as nervous, excited, and anxious as they are.

Will I cry as a parent? Yes, you might, and that is okay, as well. In fact, most of the time the parents are the ones in tears more than the students.

What will happen on the first day of school? Your student’s teacher will spend most of the day modeling expectations, taking your student on a tour of the campus, introducing your student to many teachers, and hopefully starting to implement the curriculum. But most importantly … having so much fun! I hope you have a fun celebration planned for the first day of school at your house as well. Maybe a special breakfast before school or a special dinner, where your student can share all the fun and exciting events that took place the first day. At our house we would make an ice cream stop at the local drive-in on the way home for shakes, and chat about our first days as both teachers and students in our family!

What if they are hungry or thirsty? For the majority of the students, this isn’t an issue. There is so much going on, the kiddos forget they don’t have instant access to the refrigerator. However, rest assured the teachers are always prepared.

What to expect in the first week of school? You should be on the lookout for paperwork that explains the routines and expectations of both the school and classroom. There will most likely be documents that need to be signed and returned. Also, there will be information given to you on how to best communicate with your student’s teachers. Make sure to open up the lines of communication early and often, so your student’s support team is all on the same page.

What else can I expect from the first week of school? Be prepared for tired students and maybe even a little grumpiness the first week back. There are a lot of changes, expectations, and “new” things happening – it’s a lot to take in. Also, there may be tired tears, but mostly that’s just getting into a routine. Even though you spent two weeks practicing, their little minds will be tired the first few weeks of school. Just be prepared and plan for even earlier bedtimes during the first two weeks.

Starting school is a memorable and exciting experience for your student. I hope that this school year will be full of learning, challenges, and above all FUN!

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Madelyne L. Moore is a teacher with the Hermiston School District, a partner of the Blue Mountain Early Learning Hub, which works to bridge early childhood resources and prepare children for kindergarten. For more information visit www.bluemountainearlylearninghub.org.