In a few weeks, 5-year-old Benny Parnitzke will be off to kindergarten at Millennium School in Tinley Park.
He recently took a break from summer fun and loading supplies into his Star Wars backpack to offer a few words of advice for those following in his footsteps.
“Always wash your hands. Take turns with toys. Use manners at snack time,” he said to 3- and 4-year-olds readying for preschool.
Those are just some of the life skills he learned while enrolled in the Tot Time Preschool Program offered through the Tinley Park-Park District.
His mom Colleen Parnitzke said her son also learned colors and shapes, as well as how to distinguish his left hand from the right, how to count to 100 and how to ask for help without whining.
In addition to grasping social skills, such as how to take turns, control impulses and not invade other people’s space, Parnitzke said, so important from a parent’s standpoint, “He learned he’s important. Those teachers made it a goal to make sure each kid felt important, that their questions and their ideas mattered.
“You could see his confidence grow” throughout the school year, she said.
Though there are many advocates for preschool these days, Parnitzke, a teacher at Homer Junior High in Homer Glen, said there are still some parents who are reticent to enroll their youngsters in a pre-kindergarten program.
“I know parents who don’t see the value of it. But I really truly think the earlier kids can start to recognize other people’s feelings, their own feelings, taking turns, working in a group, listening to adults and to their peers, the better,” she said.
In addition to the academic benefits, she said, starting school early can make a child feel a part of the community he lives in.
“They see other kids at the grocery store or at the park and they feel like they belong,” she said.
Tot Time teacher Mary Walsh said, “They’re saying kindergarten is the new first grade. It’s more academic and much different than it was 10 years ago.”
That’s why it’s not unusual for children to be introduced to academic skills such as printing and counting in preschool, she said.
Though children can enter preschool at all different levels, Walsh said, teachers hope they leave at the end of the year with a clear understanding of important social skills, such how to share, how to make friends and how to be excited about learning.
“These are important skills for everyday life,” Walsh said.
What is the best way to prepare your child for that first school adventure?
Talk it up, drive by the building and “always be positive,” said Kathleen Sheeran, a preschool teacher at Mary Sears Childcare Academy in Orland Park.
“If the child is giving anxiety feedback, come back with something positive. Say ‘I can’t wait to see what you’re going to make me’ or ‘You’re going to make new friends and love your teacher,’” Sheeran said.
Preschool enables youngsters to learn social skills and the rules of play, as well as how to converse with others, how to learn from another adult and how to get comfortable in a school setting, she said.
“And with the way our education is today, you’re expected to know a lot by kindergarten,” she said.
Sonia Sierocki, a preschool teacher at Koraes Greek-American Parochial School in Palos Hills, said every child’s school experience should begin with positivity on the part of parents.
“Reassure them that you love them and that they’re going to have so much fun and that you’ll be back soon. And then leave — quickly,” Sierocki said.
“A lot of times parents want to linger. That makes it really hard for kids. They see their parents’ eyes watering and they get scared,” she said.
The teachers, she said, know how to handle even the saddest child.
“They’ll reassure them and get them involved in an activity. Once they get busy, they’re fine,” she said. “Our first two weeks are going to be accommodating them. We’re ready for criers, kids who want to run. So the first few weeks we go over rules and get them used to being around other kids and make them comfortable.”
The best way for parents to prepare their child for preschool, Sierocki said, is to teach them their first and last names and how to hold a pencil or crayon.
“We can do the rest,” she said.
And “the rest” can be considerable, she added.
“Nowadays, there’s a whole list of things they need to know coming into kindergarten,” she said. “If they don’t go to preschool, that puts a lot of pressure on the parents.”
Parnitzke enrolled Benny is a pre-preschool class called On My Way.
“It helped so much,” she said. “It gave him a feeling for what it’s like to walk into a classroom without having to stay there too long.”
She also taught him her phone number.
“That made me more relaxed,” she said. “He could read his name and he could say Mommy’s phone number.”
Now that he’s a veteran, Benny can offer insider tips for newbies.
“Make sure you wait in line nicely,” he said. And, lastly, “Be good.”