Social Emotional Preparation of Young Children

Social skill development is critical for school success. Many kindergarten teachers even rate the need for social skills such as the ability to follow instructions, sit attentively for up to 15 minutes, care for oneself, and get along with others as being more necessary than some academic readiness skills. Kindergarten will be a new environment for children and will pose challenges. Helping children prepare for some of these changes will make the transition easier.

Parents can help their children develop qualities that will help them adjust to school. These include confidence, independence, motivation, curiosity, persistence, cooperation, and self-control. The most important...