Back to School: Preparing a Younger Sibling

Do you have new student this year? Is your little one heading to Kindergarten? Have you prepared your younger child, or included them in the excitement?

My five year old is heading to Kindergarten, and we seem to be talking about it all day long. Either my little guy is asking questions or we are discussing the little things throughout the day he needs to be able to do on his own. I didn't give it much thought that we were giving my older son "special," attention or focusing on him going to school, until I was reminded by my three year old! My younger child asked, "When do I get to go to school? Why we talk about school all day long? Do I get new stuff?" (Gulp!!!) I stopped in my tracks and felt horrible, my younger felt he had been left out and I hadn't even noticed.

So how am I (now) including my younger child, as we prepare for Kindergarten:

• When my older son works on writing, use of scissors, or opening food packages; I set out the same items for my three year old. (He can choose to take part or opt out, but feels included.)
• When we went new shoe shopping, my younger child also picked out a pair. (This is where I mention his shoes are wilder than his older brother's.)
• We found an old book bag, and now include him when we work on zipping and unzipping the new book bag for school.
• When we count, spell our full name, and say our address; we ask our younger child to try as well. (He needs to know this information too!)
• We are now more mindful of the things we say out loud, so that our younger child does not feel excluded and Kindergarten is not 100% our focus.
• We will take our younger child with us to Open House, the week before school starts.
• We will have a back to school special meal, and all four of us will celebrate and talk about the changes that will happen. (We will ask our younger child, what he would like to eat?)

Little did I know the huge impact on all of us, as we send my older child to school. My younger son will have to make adjustments, and roll with the changes right along side of his brother. For the first time in my little three year olds life, he will have to learn to play and learn new things with out big brother. The boys both needed to be included, made to feel special, and my little one's gentle reminder was eye opening!

How are you including a younger child, as you send your student back to school? Any tips on how to celebrate back to school as a family? How did your younger child react, once an older child was in school?