As your child begins a new school year, don't forget to show your full confidence that this is going to be a great year! You should have confidence pouring out of your pores, as you say good bye to them at your house, at the car, or inside the classroom as you try to peel him/her off your legs. If your child is feeling anxious, keep the separation short and sweet, again emphasizing your full confidence that they will have a great day. Kids are like sponges of emotion, especially when vulnerable. 

Parents, try to remember the names of the kids in your child's class. Use specific names of other kids as you talk to your child about their day. Every time you use other kids' name outside of the classroom, it will increase your child's familiarity with the other, that much more. Ex: If you ask your child, "What kind of backpack did Jake have this year?", your child may not know the answer the first day. This conversation may trigger him to look for Jake's backpack the next day or better yet, ASK Jake about his backpack the next day. A simple conversation you have during a drive home or at bedtime can potentially lead to huge gains socially. Feel free to email or call me for more brainstorming! 

Have a happy day.
noriko

Hello SCLC families! As we start off to another school year, I thought I'd start a blog on my website. My goal is to use this space to share thoughts, ideas, experiences, and post questions & general announcements. I am not allowing this blog to accept comments from others, in order to protect the privacy of our families. If you ever want to comment on the blog, please feel to email me directly. 

So, what in the world is "TO-MO-DA-CHI"? It's a Japanese name for friend. Since I'm in the business of helping people be good "tomodachi" and make good "tomodachi" so they can lead happy, healthy, and confident lives...I thought it would be appropriate.