Nursery can be daunting for children at first (Image: Cover Images)
Parents have revealed that confidence and the ability to speak their mind is the key gift they wish for in their young children.
A huge 96% of today’s parents admit they want their children to have more confidence than they had as a youngster.
Indeed, 90% of millennial parents believe being outgoing, closely followed by being kind is way more important than their child being clever.
In research commissioned by much loved boisterous TV icon Peppa Pig, 97% of 2,000 UK parents with children aged 2-5 agreed that it is important that their child feels able to speak their mind.
Despite that, half of parents admitted that their little ones struggle to try new things and going to nursery or pre-school is the experience they find most daunting, with separation issues and the fear of making new friends the main concerns.
As this month’s increase in government funding for nursery school fees will help boost the number of children making the big step into education, Peppa Pig has enlisted Child & Family Mental Health Educator Ginny Lalieu to help make the huge milestone less frightening.
More than three quarters (76%) of parents believe that their children’s TV hero characters such as Peppa provide them with positive role-modelling and help them feel braver when negotiating new experiences.
Peppa and her brother George often make real life situations more relatable and less scary, such as an episode when George spent his first day at playschool.
In the words of Peppa: “The world is a wonderful place” and “Life is an adventure”.
Ginny Lalieu, shares some handy tips and tricks if parents are having apprehensions about sending their child to nursery:
1. Make the ‘new’ feel ‘known’: Predictability makes our brains feel safe and in control, increasing confidence! A great way to do this is through stories and experience; explore stories from their favourite books and TV shows, like Peppa Pig and George attending nursery and playgroups for the first time. Talk about what the characters are doing and how they’re approaching this milestone.
2. Practise through play: Play is an amazing way to help reduce anxiety and build confidence around an upcoming experience. Use miniature toys and/or dress ups to ‘play out’ what nursery is like and what to expect, such as packing a backpack, travelling, saying goodbye, playing with friends, having lunch, and reuniting at pickup. Swap roles of being the ‘child’, ‘parent’ or ‘teacher’.
3. Teach practical skills: In the week leading up to their first day, prioritise teaching your child practical skills such as putting on their coat, doing up zips or buttons, opening and closing their backpack and food containers, and putting on their shoes. Don’t forget to teach them the most important skill of all – asking for help. We can teach this both indirectly (by modelling asking others for help) and directly (by talking to them about who they can go to for help at nursery and practising how to ask for it).
4. Prepare the night before: Preparing as much as possible the night before means you can have a slower, more connected and playful morning, which will help to reduce anxiety. Involve your child in making their lunchbox, packing their backpack, and inviting them to choose their outfit. It’s also a great idea to choose a “transitional object” together; something they can bring into nursery to remind them of you. Not sure what to pack? Check out some suggestions below.
5. Have a consistent separation routine: Remember, consistency helps children feel safe, and therefore more confident!
Plan, practise, and follow through with a familiar separation routine, such as my 4 B’s:
Belongings: Help them put their things away (e.g. coat, backpack).
Books: Spend 5-10 minutes looking at books together (or any kind of play activity, e.g. construction or puzzles).
Buddy: When it’s time to leave, hand them over to a relationship, not a room! This might sound like: “It’s time for me to go now, [teacher’s name] is going to take care of you today. I know you are safe with them.”
Bye-bye: Follow through with a loving goodbye ritual that you do the same way every time; e.g. “five big kisses, one big cuddle… I love you!”. Then, breathe and walk away with confidence.
Remember that all feelings are OK, and tears are simply a healthy release of emotion. Lingering tends to communicate fear or uncertainty, and your child needs you to lead the way to know that they are safe. A final wave through the window can be a great way to complete the ritual!
Wondering what to pack in the nursery starter pack? Look no further! Peppa Pig has curated a handy list of what you need and to pack for that first milestone moment: Back pack, Water bottle, Snack box and Plush toy.
