Parents Sending Children To Kindergarten Dealing With Unanticipated Uncertainty
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Sending a child off to kindergarten can be an emotional and stressful time any year. Add in preparing a child for their first year of school during a pandemic and families are dealing with uncertainty they never anticipated.
Mother of two Natalie Camacho is sending her oldest child, 5-year-old Mav, to kindergarten this year.
"We're definitely in a different boat than I thought we'd be at this time," she said.
She and her husband are being as positive as possible and putting their faith in the Avonworth School District.
"I feel like our school district has really done a lot to keep us informed, and they've made a lot of changes," she said.
Her positive outlook seems to be rubbing off on her son.
"When I was in preschool, it was fun," Mav said. "So, I feel like that this will be even funner."
Allegheny Health Network child psychiatrist Dr. Gary Swanson says sending a child to school with a positive attitude this year is just as important as the school supplies and mask.
"They are going to look at what their parents, what the adults around them are modeling," he said. "If those parents are very anxious, the kids will pick up on that. If they're negative, they'll pick up on that."
It's something mother of three Robyn Eisen tries to instill as well.
"Everyone's trying here," she said.
Unlike Camacho, Eisen has already put one child through kindergarten in the North Allegheny School District.
This time, she's sending Nolan, her middle child, with a few additional skills.
"I'm comfortable with sending him to school because we at home for a while have been practicing the mask-wearing and sanitizing," she said.
Dr. Swanson says now is the time to teach these types of skills to kindergartners in anticipation for what will be expected of them at school.
"Maybe a few days of practice so that they get used to that would be helpful, and it may help the parents recognize where a kid might be having difficulties," he said.
Both parents and Dr. Swanson said kindergartners in particular may have an easier time transitioning having never experienced a traditional school day.
