Change is hard regardless of age, but children particularly struggle with transitions. Especially the big ones like heading off to preschool for the first time. They may be leaving you for the first time and entering a new space with a whole new set of rules and expectations. Exciting? Yes. Scary? Of course! As parents and caregivers, there are many steps we can take ahead of time to make this transitions as smooth and tear-free as possible.

In this episode of Mindful Conversation with KAY podcast, Kelly and Kristi kick off a new series on age-based transitions and share simple mindful strategies and techniques for transitioning to preschool:

1. Preparing ourselves as caregivers by staying present and regulates
2. Validating our child's experiences and exploring both emotional and physical feelings
3. Establishing a "Goodbye Routine" for connection... don't "sneak" out!
4. Visualization practices to ease feelings of the unknown
5. Tools for the ride to school to keep them present and engaged

For further reading & learning:

Anxiety in our Children: https://kiddingaroundyoga.com/anxiety-in-our-children/

Calming Anxiety in Children with Yoga: https://kiddingaroundyoga.com/anxiety-children-yoga-breathing/

Yoga in the Car Line: https://kiddingaroundyoga.com/kids-yoga-car/

Creating Space For Children to Regulate Their Energy and Emotions: https://kiddingaroundyoga.com/creating-space-for-children-to-regulate-their-energy-and-emotions/

Find many more mindful strategies like these for this age group in our course PreKAY.