Starting kindergarten is certainly one of the milestones in any child’s young life. It’s a milestone for parents as well, and one that often scares them. In an effort to make this transition a smooth one for both parents and children, a panel discussion will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Jewish Community Campus in the Heritage Center. The event is free and childcare is available. To learn about childcare, visit jcckc.org/youth-programs/childcare/.
The event is co-sponsored by the KC Jewish Preschool Director’s Council, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and The PJ Library. The panel features pediatrician Michael Blum, D.O., HBHA kindergarten teacher Nicole Hollingsworth and Betsy Low, LSCSW, child and family therapist at Jewish Family Services.
Maxine Benson, director of Child Development Center programs for the Jewish Community Center, said the CDC started the program about six years ago as an informational gathering for Pre-K parents because “they would tell us how hard it was to leave the CDC.”
“Here we are like one big family and parents are involved with teachers,” Benson said. “Parents are worried about that transition to kindergarten where they are not so welcome into the classroom and the school will not be as interested in their opinions or input.”
Because that transition can be as difficult for the parent as it is for the child, Benson said CDC administrators thought an information session could address both aspects of transitioning to kindergarten.
“We wanted to make this as seamless for the parents as we made it for the children. We do a pretty good job about getting kids revved up about leaving preschool,” she said.
“Sometimes children still have difficulty adjusting because they are meeting lots of new children and new teachers. Sometimes it’s very, very different, but it was actually more difficult for some of the parents to make that transition,” Benson said.
“The program initially started not so much to ease the way for the children as it was to ease the way for the families. Children can pick up on all that anxiety … and they can start to think maybe this isn’t the great thing I thought it was,” she continued.
Benson thought the program was a good one, but described attendance as only so-so. But when she talked about it with other preschool directors, they thought it was a great idea.
“Judy Jacks Berman suggested it would be good to expand the program into a community program,” Benson said.
Now in its third year as a community program, the preschool directors, along with HBHA’s Tamara Lawson Schuster and Karen Gerson of The PJ Library, have crafted the program to include a social worker, a pediatrician and a kindergarten teacher.
“I tell parents you are getting a million-dollar panel for free,” Benson explained. “We are able to give you a panel of knowledgeable experts from our community who present fabulous information, for free.”
For the past few years, HBHA’s Nicole Hollingsworth has presented the kindergarten teacher’s view.
“I encourage all Pre-K parents to attend this event as a plethora of information is shared to help them prepare their kiddo for kindergarten. This event also gives tips for the family as the transition to kindergarten can be a big change for all. A smooth kindergarten transition is key to a successful start to a child’s formal education,” Hollingsworth pointed out.
Benson said Dr. Blum gives an overview of where children should be physically when they enter kindergarten, as well as how to work out the kindergarten physical exam so that insurance will pay for it.
“He also talks about readiness from his standpoint and always addresses the question from a pediatrician’s point of view when to send the child ahead or make the decision to hold back,” Benson said.
The third piece of the programs comes from JFS’ Low. She will address “the common sense ways to get your child ready to make the move to kindergarten as well as ways parents can keep their anxiety level down,” Benson said.
“She provides wonderful tidbits of information that will make that first day a breeze and help a child get over the hump,” Benson said.
Benson said she always hears nice comments from parents who attend the program. It’s also a great way for the various preschools from different religious denominations to do something together.
“We can cull from the community the best of the best this way,” Benson said. “It shows the community working a collaborative effort as it should. We’re not there to sell our programs. We want to make this easy for the parents. It’s just a really nice program.”
In addition to Benson, Berman, Schuster and Gerson, the planning committee includes Stacey Belzer and Susan Goldberg, B’nai Jehudah Preschool; and Devory Wineberg, Gan Chabad.
Reservations are requested for the program, however walk-ins are also welcome. To RSVP or for more information, contact one of the sponsoring organizations.