by Patti M.

One of the great things about being part of a Parent’s Club like SBPC, is that you can learn a lot of tips from parents who have gone through certain milestones before you have. Take for instance, starting kindergarten. A monumental milestone in every child’s life, the start of kindergarten means different things to different families. Maybe it’s the first time your child is away from you everyday. Maybe it’s the first time you have to set an alarm for them to wake up. Quite possibly you’re starting a brand new school and don’t know any of the families there. Regardless of the many questions you have, be assured that every other parent is facing the same thing. Kindergarten is the great equalizer in this early part of childhood. The first day of kindergarten, while scary, is the first day for every single kid in the drop-off lot.

It also carries significance, because for some of you, these kids you see on the kindergarten yard could be with your children for the next 13 years of their lives. Or the next 30 years. I can say this with absolute certainty, because I just had drinks with a kindergarten pal two weeks ago, who was in the Bay Area for work.

Anyways, back to the main topic. I had been properly prepped about the scariness of the transition from preschool to kindergarten by friends in the SBPC book club. I got to hear and see things as they were unfolding for my friends and their children a whole year before my own kindergarten transition! And while it made me nervous, it also gave me a leg up … because I realized the importance of preparing my own daughter for kindergarten.

I knew a few families who would be starting kindergarten at our school, but I wasn’t close to them. Our kids had never really socialized. But I knew that we had to put the effort in. So another mom and I decided to form a group. We found a few other moms (through sheer luck), exchanged information, and the rest is history. By the time the first day of school rolled around, I knew 7 other families in my daughter’s class, she had friends, and more importantly, I had friends. It was great!

So, here’s the advice I have for families embarking on the first year. Get involved. Put yourself out there. Self organize. Start up random conversations with other parents. Have lots of playdates. Listen to the names of kids that your children talk about and seek them out. Attend school sponsored functions and fundraisers. Volunteer if you are able to.

We formed a Facebook group, and had weekly playdates going into the school year. We also had a few Moms Night Out events, so we could get to know each other. We started a weekly Friday morning coffee after drop-off when the school year started. And our kids joined the same extracurricular activities … softball, Girl Scouts, and Camp.

I can’t express how important it’s been to have this circle at our school. I consider some of these parents to be great friends, and it made this year such a fun one! I’m never worried about going to school functions because we know so many wonderful families. The added bonus is that we all live in the same neighborhood, so it’s easy for us to get together.

As the school year winds down, I think back to all the things I was worried about. And I honestly think that even if I hadn’t had my kindergarten group, things would still be great. Kids are resilient and make friends easily. But for the parents? Having a tribe like SBPC at your school is awesome.