Through diseases to the garden: the medical aspect of adaptation. Adaptation in kindergarten

If the psychological and social features of the adaptation period are taught in detail in kindergarten, then parents know less about its medical aspects. Therefore, today I want to dwell on this topic in more detail.

The word "adaptation" translated from Latin means adaptation. By and large, a person adapts to something new throughout his life. But there are periods that require special tension of all the forces of the body. One of them is the child’s admission to kindergarten.

Attending kindergarten marks a new stage in a child's life. A separation from mom, a change of environment, unfamiliar people around, a new route from home to kindergarten - all this is not indifferent to the baby and is reflected in his condition and behavior. Many recently acquired useful skills may be temporarily lost. The child often refuses to eat, nap during the day, speaks worse and less, and may stop asking to go to the potty. During this period of life, children are more likely to get sick. All these are normal manifestations of adaptation.

Three phases of adaptation to kindergarten

There are 3 main stages in a child’s adaptation:
spicy;
subacute;
compensation period.

In the acute period, which is otherwise called the indicative stage of adaptation, pronounced changes in the child’s behavior are noted. During the first 2-3 weeks, all organ systems are maximally tense, and a “physiological storm” rages in the body. The baby becomes capricious and excitable. Negative emotions appear when communicating with adults and children, appetite worsens, and sleep becomes disturbed.

During this period, physiological indicators of heart rate, blood pressure and respiration change, the number of microbes on the mucous membranes of the nose, pharynx, and oral cavity increases. The blood composition changes (the number of leukocytes and the ratio of immunoglobulins in the serum). The child may even lose weight. The acute adaptation period for different children lasts from 10 to 60 days.

The subacute period, or the phase of unstable adaptation, is characterized by a gradual normalization of behavioral and physiological reactions. Appetite is restored the fastest – usually within 10-15 days. Speech normalization is slower; it may take about 2 months. Restoration of the child’s sleep and emotional state usually occurs within 1 month.

The period of compensation and adaptation to new conditions is characterized by the fact that the physiological and neuropsychic reactions of the child’s body reach or exceed the initial level.

Severity of child adaptation

A child's easy adaptation to kindergarten is characterized by a slight decrease in appetite. The volume of food eaten reaches the initial norm usually within 10 days. Sleep is restored at approximately the same time. The child’s emotional state, his orientation and speech activity, and relationships with other children are normalized after 15-20 days. Communication with adults with a mild degree of adaptation is practically not impaired. The child's motor activity does not decrease. Functional changes in the functioning of internal organs are minimally expressed and are normalized during the first month of stay in kindergarten. Diseases with this option are not observed throughout the entire adaptive period.

With adaptation of moderate severity, sleep and appetite disturbances normalize within 20-30 days. The child's emotional state remains unstable throughout the first month of his stay in kindergarten. A significant delay in motor activity is typical; all functional changes in the functioning of organs and systems are clearly expressed, especially in the days preceding an acute illness. Relationships with adults, as a rule, are not disturbed.

With severe adaptation, either pronounced changes in the functions of the child’s organs and systems are observed, or his behavior is greatly affected. In the first case, the baby gets sick soon after the first visit to the kindergarten and continues to get sick almost every month (more than 4-12 times during the first year). Over time, the frequency of diseases decreases, and the child begins to regularly attend kindergarten.

In the second variant of severe adaptation, the child behaves differently than usual. At times his behavior borders on neurosis. Appetite practically disappears, the child refuses to eat. The situation begins to recover no earlier than after 3 weeks of being in kindergarten. Persistent food aversion or neurotic vomiting during feeding may occur. Sleep becomes light and shortened. The child falls asleep for a long time - 30-40 minutes, while being capricious and crying. As a rule, the baby also wakes up with tears. The child either strives for privacy, does not want to play with other children, or shows aggression towards them. He may also experience motor disinhibition. The child begins to lag behind his peers in speech development. His attitude towards adults becomes selective.

Difficult adaptation to preschool education can last from 2 to 6 months. It occurs in approximately 9% of children entering kindergarten.

In general terms, this process is understood as the individual’s adaptation to a new environment and conditions. Such changes have an impact on the psyche of any person, including children who are forced to adapt to the garden.

You should understand in more detail what adaptation to kindergarten is. First of all, it requires enormous energy expenditure from the child, as a result of which the child’s body is overstrained. In addition, one cannot discount the changed living conditions, namely:

there are no moms and dads or other relatives nearby;
it is necessary to maintain a clear daily routine;
need to interact with other children;
the amount of time devoted to a particular child decreases (the teacher communicates with 15 - 20 kids at the same time);
the baby is forced to obey the demands of other people's adults.

So, the baby’s life changes radically. In addition, the adaptation process is often fraught with undesirable changes in the child’s body, which are expressed externally in the form of violated behavioral norms and “bad” actions.

The stressful state in which a child is trying to adapt to changed conditions is expressed by the following states:

disturbed sleep– the child wakes up with tears and refuses to fall asleep;
decreased appetite (or complete absence)– the child does not want to try unfamiliar dishes;
regression of psychological skills– a child who previously spoke, knew how to dress, use cutlery, and go to the potty, “loses” such skills;
decreased cognitive interest– kids are not interested in new play equipment and peers;
aggression or apathy– active children suddenly reduce their activity, and previously calm children show aggressiveness;
decreased immunity– during the period of adaptation of a small child to kindergarten, resistance to infectious diseases decreases.

Thus, the adaptation process is a complex phenomenon, during which the child’s behavior can change dramatically. As you get used to the kindergarten, such problems disappear or are significantly smoothed out.

Degrees of adaptation

The process of adaptation of a child in kindergarten can proceed in different ways. Some children quickly get used to the changed environment, while others worry their parents for a long time with negative behavioral reactions. It is by the severity and duration of the above problems that the success of the adaptation process is judged.

Psychologists distinguish several degrees of the adaptation process that are characteristic of preschool-age children.

In this case, the baby joins the children's team in 2 - 4 weeks. This type of adaptation is typical for most children and is characterized by the accelerated disappearance of negative behavioral reactions. You can judge that a child easily gets used to kindergarten by the following features:

he comes and stays in the group room without tears;
when speaking, looks teachers in the eye;
able to voice a request for help;
is the first to make contact with peers;
able to occupy himself for a short period of time;
easily adapts to daily routine;
responds adequately to educational approval or disapproval remarks;
tells parents how classes went in the garden.

How long does the adaptation period in kindergarten last in this case? At least 1.5 months. At the same time, the child often gets sick and demonstrates pronounced negative reactions, but it is impossible to talk about his maladjustment and inability to join the team.

When observing a child, it can be noted that he:

has difficulty parting with his mother, cries a little after separation;
when distracted, forgets about the separation and joins the game;
communicates with peers and teacher;
adheres to the stated rules and routines;
responds adequately to comments;
rarely becomes the instigator of conflict situations.

Difficult adaptation

Children with a severe type of adaptation process are quite rare, but they can easily be found in a children's group. Some of them show open aggression when visiting kindergarten, while others withdraw into themselves, demonstrating complete detachment from what is happening. The duration of addiction can range from 2 months to several years. In especially severe cases, they talk about complete maladaptation and the impossibility of attending a preschool institution.

The main characteristics of a child with a severe degree of adaptation:

reluctance to communicate with peers and adults;
tears, hysterics, stupor when parting with parents for a long time;
refusal to enter the playing area from the locker room;
reluctance to play, eat, or go to bed;
aggressiveness or isolation;
inadequate response to the teacher’s address to him (tears or fear).

It should be understood that absolute inability to fit into kindergarten is an extremely rare phenomenon, so it is necessary to contact specialists (psychologist, neurologist, pediatrician) and jointly develop an action plan. In some cases, doctors may advise you to postpone visiting a preschool educational institution.

What influences a child’s adaptation?

So, the period of adaptation of children in kindergarten always proceeds differently. But what influences its success? Experts include age characteristics, child health, degree of socialization, level of cognitive development, etc. among the most important factors.

Often, parents, trying to get to work early, send their child to kindergarten at two years old, or even earlier. However, most often such a step does not bring much benefit, since a young child is not yet able to interact with peers.

Of course, every child is a bright individual, however, according to many psychologists, it is possible to identify an optimal age period that is most suitable for getting used to kindergarten - and this is 3 years.

It's all about the so-called crisis period of three years. As soon as the baby passes this stage, his level of independence increases, his psychological dependence on his mother decreases, therefore, it is much easier for him to part with her for a few hours.

Why shouldn’t you rush to send your child to preschool? At the age of 1 - 3 years, the formation of child-parent relationships and attachment to the mother occurs. That is why prolonged separation from the latter causes a nervous breakdown in the baby and violates basic trust in the world.

In addition, one cannot help but note the greater independence of three-year-olds: they, as a rule, have potty etiquette, know how to drink from a cup, and some children are already trying to dress themselves. Such skills make it much easier to get used to the garden.

Health status

Children with serious chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, etc.) quite often experience difficulty adjusting due to the characteristics of the body and the increased psychological connection with their parents.

The same applies to children who are often sick for a long time. Such babies require special conditions, reduced loads and supervision of medical personnel. That’s why experts recommend sending them to kindergarten later, especially since the pain will disrupt their preschool attendance schedule.

The main problems of adaptation of sick children in the nursery group:

an even greater decrease in immunity;
increased susceptibility to infections;
increased emotional lability (periods of tearfulness, exhaustion);
the occurrence of unusual aggressiveness, increased activity or, conversely, slowness.

Before entering a preschool institution, children are required to undergo a medical examination. There is no need to be afraid of this; on the contrary, parents will have the opportunity to once again consult with doctors about how to survive the adaptation with minimal losses.

Degree of psychological development

Another point that can prevent successful adaptation to preschool education is a deviation from the average indicators of cognitive development. Moreover, both delayed mental development and giftedness can lead to maladjustment.

In case of delayed mental development, special correctional programs are used to help fill gaps in knowledge and increase the cognitive activity of children. Under favorable conditions, such children catch up with their peers by school age.

A gifted child, surprisingly, also falls into the risk group, since his cognitive abilities are higher than those of his peers, and he may also experience difficulties with socialization and communication with classmates.

Level of socialization

A child’s adaptation to kindergarten involves increased contacts with peers and with unfamiliar adults. At the same time, there is a certain pattern - those kids whose social circle was not limited to their parents and grandmothers are more likely to get used to the new society.

Those children who rarely interacted with other children, on the contrary, find it difficult to adapt to changed conditions. Poor communication skills and the inability to resolve conflict situations cause an increase in anxiety and lead to reluctance to attend kindergarten.

Of course, this factor largely depends on the teachers. If the teacher gets along well with the child, adaptation will noticeably speed up. That is why, if possible, you should enroll in a group with the teacher whose reviews are most often positive.

Stages of adaptation of a small child to kindergarten

Adaptation of children is a heterogeneous process, so experts identify several periods characterized by the severity of negative reactions. Of course, such a division is rather arbitrary, but it helps to understand how successful the addiction will be.

The first stage is also acute. Its main feature is maximum mobilization of the child’s body. The child is constantly excited and tense; it is not surprising that parents and teachers note tearfulness, nervousness, capriciousness and even hysteria.

In addition to psychological changes, physiological changes can also be detected. In some cases, there is an increase or decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Increased susceptibility to infections.

The second phase is called moderately acute, since the severity of negative reactions decreases, and the child adapts to the changed conditions. There is a decrease in the baby’s excitability and nervousness, improved appetite, sleep, and normalization of the psycho-emotional sphere.

However, it is not yet possible to talk about complete stabilization of the condition. Throughout this period, negative emotions may return, and undesirable reactions may appear in the form of hysterics, tearfulness, or reluctance to part with parents.

The third stage is compensated – stabilizes the child’s condition. In the final adaptation period, complete restoration of psychophysiological reactions occurs, and the child successfully joins the team. Moreover, he can acquire new skills - for example, using a potty or dressing himself.

How to adapt a child to kindergarten? 6 useful skills for a kindergartener

In order for the process of adaptation to be as successful as possible, quickly and painlessly, experts advise instilling the most important skills in the future preschooler in advance. That is why parents should know what it is advisable to teach a child going to a preschool educational institution.

Dress and undress independently. Ideally, three-year-olds should already take off their swimming trunks, socks, tights, and put on a T-shirt and blouse or jacket. There may be difficulties with fasteners, but you should still get used to them. To do this, you can buy lacing toys. In addition, hang pictures in the room with the dressing sequence (they can be downloaded for free on the Internet).
Use a spoon/fork. The ability to use cutlery makes it easier to get used to. To do this, you need to give up sippy cups, bottles, sippy cups, which do not contribute to rapid growth.
Ask and go to the potty. You should get rid of diapers already at the age of one and a half years, especially since the ability to ask and go to bed will significantly simplify adaptation, since the child will feel more confident among skilled peers.
Accept different foods. Many three-year-olds are characterized by selectivity in food. Ideally, parents should bring the home menu closer to the kindergarten menu. Then breakfasts and lunches at preschool educational institutions will not resemble a war between children and teachers.
Communicate with adults. Quite often you can hear a child’s peculiar speech, which only the mother can understand. Some kids generally communicate with gestures, rightly believing that their parents will understand everything. Before kindergarten, you should monitor the decrease in babbling words and gestures.
Play with children. To improve a child’s communication skills, it is necessary to include him in the children’s group more often. Psychologists advise regularly visiting families with small children, walking on playgrounds, and playing in the sandbox.

In nurseries and kindergartens there are special adaptation groups for future preschoolers. Be sure to find out if such a service is available at your preschool educational institution. Visiting such groups will allow your child to become acquainted with the teachers, the building itself, and new rules of behavior.

Recommendations for parents on how to adapt their children often include advice to talk more with their child about preschool. But how to do this correctly and what should you talk about with your baby to make future adaptation easier?

Explain in as simple a language as possible what a kindergarten is, why children go there, and why it is so important to attend it. The simplest example: “A kindergarten is a big house for kids who eat, play and walk together while their parents work.”
Tell your child that kindergarten is a kind of work for children. That is, mom works as a teacher, doctor, manager, dad works as a military man, programmer, etc., and the baby will “work” as a preschooler, because he has become quite an adult.
Every time you pass by the kindergarten, do not forget to remind that after a while the child will also be able to come here and play with other children. In his presence, you can also tell your interlocutors how proud you are of your newly-made preschooler.
Talk about the daycare routine to relieve fears and uncertainty. The child may not remember everything due to his age, but he will know that after breakfast there will be games, then walks and a short nap.
Don't forget to talk about who your child can turn to if he suddenly needs water or needs to go to the toilet. In addition, gently clarify that not all requests will be fulfilled instantly, since it is important for educators to keep track of all children at once.
Share your story of attending preschool. Surely you have photographs from matinees, where you recite poems, play with dolls, go home from kindergarten with your parents, etc. A parent's example allows the child to quickly get used to kindergarten.

There is no need to over-praise kindergarten, painting it in completely rosy colors, otherwise the child will be disappointed in the teacher and classmates. At the same time, you cannot scare him with a preschool institution and a teacher who will “show him how to behave well!” Try to maintain a golden mean.

Classes for children to prepare for kindergarten

Role-playing games and listening to fairy tales are favorite pastimes for young children. Therefore, advice from a psychologist often includes items such as activities and fairy tales for successful adaptation to kindergarten. The purpose of such games is to familiarize the child with the regime and rules of kindergarten in a relaxed manner.

Enlist the “support” of children’s toys – dolls, teddy bears. Let your favorite plastic friend become a teacher, and the teddy bear and robot become kindergarteners who are just attending preschool.

Moreover, classes should be repeated almost the entire day of the future preschooler. That is, the teddy bear came to the kindergarten, said hello to the aunt-teacher, kissed mommy goodbye and began to play with the other children. Then he had breakfast and began to study.

If a child has difficulty parting with his mother, special emphasis should be placed on this particular moment. To do this, it is better to use special fairy tales for quick adaptation in kindergarten, in which, for example, a kitten stops crying after the mother leaves and begins to play happily with other animals.

Another opportunity to make adaptation to kindergarten easier is to use available tools: presentations, cartoons and a collection of poems about kindergarten. Such useful innovative materials adapt children no worse, and sometimes better, than ordinary stories.

Usually, by the age of three, children quite easily let go of their mothers and other significant adults, since, as we have already noted, at this stage there is a natural desire to be independent, independent of their parents.

And yet there are situations when the baby and mother turn into almost a single organism. Because of this, a child’s adaptation in kindergarten can become significantly more difficult, and the likelihood of complete maladaptation also increases.

Ideally, it is necessary to accustom the baby to parental absence consistently and in advance. And yet, it is possible to reduce the psycho-emotional dependence of children on their mother in a short time. Let's consider basic advice to parents from experienced specialists.

Necessary actions

Try to involve the father and other close relatives in interaction with the child. The more the baby has contact with other adults (and not just the mother), the easier it will be for him to get used to the teacher.
After this, introduce your child to your friends. At first, they play with the baby in the presence of his parents, so that he can feel calm around unfamiliar adults. With an adapted child, it will be easier to leave.
The next stage is going outside. You need to explain to the baby that mom will go to the store while grandma or an aunt she knows tells an interesting fairy tale. In this case, you do not need to ask the child for time off, just let him know.
Consistently teach your child the idea that he needs to be alone in the room. You can prepare lunch while your child plays in the nursery. These rules can then be applied during exercise in the sandbox or on a walk.
Do not call your child shy, beech, roaring, crybaby, ponytail and other unpleasant words. On the contrary, tell him and others as often as possible how communicative, sociable and cheerful he is.

Unnecessary actions

You cannot run away from your child in secret, even if at that moment he is sitting with his grandmother. Having discovered that his mother is missing, he, firstly, will be seriously frightened, and secondly, he will begin to cry and scream the next time his parents try to leave.
It is not recommended to leave a child alone in an apartment, especially if he is characterized by increased anxiety and restlessness. In addition, even in a few minutes, small children are able to find “adventures” even in the safest home.
You should not reward your child with treats and toys because he allows you to go away. If this is practiced, then the child will demand financial rewards literally every day even in kindergarten.

You can come up with some rituals that make breaking up easier. Just don’t turn them into a full-fledged ritual, more reminiscent of a celebration or holiday. This could be a regular kiss, a mutual smile or a handshake.

Attending a preschool institution is the most important condition for the full development of a child. How to make this period easier? You can listen to the opinions of famous experts - teachers, psychologists and pediatricians. Komarovsky talks a lot and often about the features of successful adaptation to kindergarten. Let's find out the main recommendations of the popular TV doctor:

start visiting kindergarten at a time when the mother has not yet gone to work. If a child suddenly catches a cold, the parent will be able to pick him up from the preschool educational institution and stay at home with him for one or two weeks;
It is best to adapt children to kindergarten in certain seasons - summer and winter. But the off-season is not the best period to start visiting kindergarten, since the likelihood of catching a cold increases;
Information about how adaptation takes place in a particular kindergarten will not be superfluous. Perhaps caregivers practice force-feeding or over-bundle babies on walks.

In order for accelerated adaptation to occur in kindergarten, Komarovsky advises adhering to some important recommendations:

reduce the requirements for the child in the initial stages of getting used to the preschool institution. Even if he behaves badly, you need to show leniency;
Be sure to prepare your child to expand social contacts through more frequent and longer walks and games in the sandbox.
Be sure to improve your immunity. If the body’s defense system improves, the child will get sick less, therefore, the addiction will go much faster.

The teledoctor does not exclude the occurrence of certain problems in the process of adaptation, however, one should not refuse the opportunity to accustom a child to kindergarten at 4 years old. It is best to take a responsible approach to the adaptation period and support the baby in every possible way.

So, the baby has already started going to preschool, but you simply shouldn’t wait for the end of the habituation. Successful adaptation of a child in kindergarten, advice on which is given by psychologists and doctors, lies in the active position of parents. How can you help your child?

You should not immediately send your child away for the whole day. It is best to make a gradual transition from the usual regime to changed conditions, that is, send the baby first for a couple of hours, and only then increase the length of stay in kindergarten.
Be sure to show sincere interest in what your child did at the preschool. If he has molded, drawn, or glued something, you should praise him and put the craft on the shelf.
Study any information provided by the teacher or psychologist of the preschool institution. Usually the group sets up a folder called “Child Adaptation in Kindergarten.”
You should also communicate more often with teachers who regularly fill out an adaptation sheet, a special kindergarten visit form, and a psychologist fills out a card for each child in the nursery group.
Don’t worry too much if your child seems tired or haggard after kindergarten. Of course, strangers and new acquaintances are a serious stress for a child’s body. Let the baby rest and get some sleep.
In order for children to adapt quickly, it is necessary to limit increased emotional stress. Psychologists advise against attending mass entertainment; cartoons and viewing of various images, videos should also be limited.
If the baby has certain psycho-emotional or physiological characteristics (hyperactive behavior, health problems), the teaching and medical team must be informed about this.
Tears and hysterics are a “presentation” designed for mom. This is why experts advise fathers to accompany their child to kindergarten, since the stronger sex usually reacts more strictly to such manipulative behavior.

Provide your child with a calm family environment during the adaptation process. Express your affection to your new preschooler in every possible way: kiss, hug, etc.

Memo for parents: child adaptation in kindergarten and basic mistakes

So, the basic rules for improving children’s adaptation to preschool have been described. However, none of the parents is immune from erroneous actions. That is why it is necessary to dwell in more detail on the most common misconceptions:

comparison with other kids. We all adapt differently. That’s why you shouldn’t compare your child with his peers, who get used to the children’s team and teacher much faster;
deception. There is no need to promise your child that you will pick him up in an hour if you plan to return only in the evening. Such parental promises will lead to the baby feeling betrayed;
punishment by kindergarten. You should not punish a child with a longer stay in a preschool institution if he is used to being in a preschool institution for only a few hours. This will only lead to increased dislike for the kindergarten;
“bribe” with sweets and toys. Some mothers and fathers bribe their children to behave well in preschool. As a result, the child will further blackmail adults, demanding gifts from them every day;
sending a sick child to kindergarten. During the adaptation period, any cold can unsettle a child for a long time, so if you feel unwell, you should not take your preschooler to kindergarten, otherwise there is a risk of increasing the symptoms of the disease.

Another common parental mistake is the disappearance of the mother, who does not want to distract the child from toys or children. Such behavior, as we have already said, will only lead to increased anxiety in the baby and numerous fears. Increased hysterics are possible.

As a conclusion

Kindergarten and adaptation are often inseparable concepts, so one should not perceive adaptation to a preschool educational institution as some kind of absolute evil and negative. On the contrary, such a process is quite useful for the child, since it prepares him for future changes in life - school, college, family relationships.

Usually the baby gets used to kindergarten in a couple of months. But if the child’s condition does not stabilize over time and new psychological problems arise (aggression, anxiety, hyperactivity), you should definitely talk to a psychologist about maladjustment.

If the problem is not resolved, it may be worth considering visiting kindergarten later. Can a grandmother babysit for a few months? This will probably be the best way out of this situation. Good luck adapting to kindergarten!

Adaptation of a child to kindergarten- this is the adaptation or adaptation of the child’s body to a new environment. For a child, kindergarten appears as an unknown space, with frightening new relationships and surroundings. The baby needs time to adapt to a new life. Adaptation of a child to kindergarten requires increased expenditure of mental energy, tension, and physical strength of the body.

The peculiarities of a child’s behavior during the adaptation period often frighten adults so much that they often wonder whether the child will ever be able to adapt and when will this “horror” end? Those behavioral features that worry parents are often typical for all children who are in the process of adapting to kindergarten. It is during this period that most mothers believe that their child is “non-kindergarten”, but other children feel much better and behave in kindergarten. However, it is not. Usually, a child’s adaptation to kindergarten is very difficult with negative changes in the child’s body. These shifts are being observed in all systems and at all levels.

It can be quite a challenge for children of all ages to start attending preschool. Each of the kids goes through a period of adaptation to kindergarten. During this period, his whole life changes radically. Changes burst into the established, familiar life of a child in the family: the absence of loved ones and relatives, a clear daily routine, the constant presence of other children, the need to obey and obey unfamiliar adults, a decrease in the amount of personal attention.

The new environment for the baby presents itself as neuropsychic tension, as well as stress, which does not stop for a minute in the first days. The baby shows changes during the period of adaptation to kindergarten. During the first days of being in kindergarten, each child experiences strongly expressed negative emotions: whining, crying for company, or constant paroxysmal crying.

The manifestations are bright. The child is often afraid of meeting unfamiliar children, of an unknown environment, of new teachers, and also of the fact that his parents will forget about him when they leave the kindergarten. The child thinks that he has been betrayed and that they will not come for him in the evening, so against the backdrop of a stressful state, anger flares up and bursts out. Arriving at the garden in the morning, the baby does not allow himself to be undressed, rolls up, and often hits the adult who is about to leave him.

Adaptation of a 2-3 year old child to kindergarten

Adaptation to a preschool institution is marked by a decrease in social activity. Even optimistic, sociable children become restless, tense, withdrawn and uncommunicative. Parents need to remember that children 2-3 years old play near each other, but not together. Narrative play in these children has not yet been developed, so do not be nervous if the baby does not interact with other peers.

The fact that habituation is successful can be concluded from the way the baby every day more and more willingly responds to the teacher’s requests, interacts with him, and follows routine moments.

Adaptation of a 2-3 year old child to kindergarten is marked by a decrease in cognitive activity or its complete absence. It happens that a child is not interested in toys and does not dare to play with them. Many children prefer to sit on the sidelines in order to get their bearings.

In the course of successful adaptation, the baby gradually masters the space of the group, and forays into toys become more frequent and daring. The child begins to ask cognitive questions to the teacher. During the first days of adaptation, a child, under the influence of new living conditions, is able to lose self-care skills for a short time. Successful adaptation is determined by the fact that the baby not only uses all his home skills, but also learns something new in kindergarten.

In some children, the vocabulary becomes impoverished or the child uses simple words and sentences. Parents don't need to worry. The baby's speech will be enriched and restored when adaptation is complete.

Some children become inhibited, while others become uncontrollably active. This directly depends on the baby’s temperament. Activities at home are also changing. A sign of successful adaptation is the restoration of previous activity at home, and then in the garden.

When leaving your baby in the garden for an afternoon nap, you need to be prepared that for the first time in a day, sleep will be poor. Children sometimes jump up during sleep, and, having fallen asleep, wake up crying. Also, at home you may experience restless sleep, which will certainly return to normal by the time adaptation is completed.

At first, a 2-3 year old child may experience decreased appetite. This is associated with unusual food (taste and appearance), and with stress reactions - the child simply does not want to eat. A good sign of adaptation will be the restoration of appetite, even if the child does not eat everything that is offered on the plate, but he is already starting to eat on his own.

A child’s adaptation to kindergarten and illness often begin with the first visits to a preschool institution. The reason for this is stress, which reduces the child’s immunity and resistance to infections. Some children begin to get sick in the first week, others a month after visiting kindergarten. It often happens that the cause of colds and chronic acute respiratory infections is a psychological factor. One of the well-known psychological defense mechanisms is flight into illness. But this does not mean that the baby gets sick on purpose in order to stay at home; he does this unconsciously. The body easily submits to such a hidden tendency: showing amazing weakness, refusing to resist the cold.

Often, having achieved emotional balance, tendencies to illness are overcome. However, most mothers expect that negative aspects of behavior and reaction will disappear within the first few days, so they get upset and angry if this does not happen.

The child’s adaptation to kindergarten occurs by the end of the 4th week, but it happens that it is delayed for 4 months.

During the period of adaptation to kindergarten, the baby is so vulnerable that everything becomes a reason for the nursery. There are frequent cases of depressive reactions and inhibition of emotions. The first days in the garden pass without positive emotions; the baby is very upset by parting with his mother, as well as with his usual environment. If the baby smiles, it is often a reaction to a bright stimulus or novelty (an unusual game, a bright toy).

Separation from the mother is a stressful situation for a child. The child perceives kindergarten as a new, terrible environment with unfamiliar children who do not care about him. In order to survive in new circumstances, he should behave differently and differently than at home. However, not knowing the new form of behavior and suffering as a result, the baby is afraid of doing something wrong. Children's fear supports stress - separation from the mother.

Adaptation of 3-5 year old boys to kindergarten is more difficult than for girls. During this period, boys react painfully to separation from their mother, because they are very strongly attached to her.

The crisis of three years, overlaid on the period of adaptation of the child to kindergarten, often complicates its passage. Some children easily adapt to kindergarten, and their negative aspects disappear in the 3rd week, while others are more difficult, and adaptation drags on for up to 2 months. If the baby is not adapted after 3 months, then such adaptation is considered difficult and needs the help of a psychologist.

It is especially difficult for those children who were not told about their upcoming visit to a preschool institution and for them this is a surprise. Parents can help their baby adapt to new conditions faster. The set of measures includes creating a caring environment at home that is gentle on the child’s nervous system.

- in the presence of a child, you should always speak positively about the teachers and the kindergarten itself, even if you don’t like something. The child will have to go to this kindergarten, and by respecting the teachers it is easier to do this;

- when talking about the kindergarten with the baby, you need to tell someone else in his presence about what a wonderful kindergarten the baby goes to now, and what good teachers work there;

- On weekends, it is necessary to follow a clear daily routine for the child. You can let him sleep a little longer, but you don’t need to let him sleep for very long. During the adaptation period, you should not overload the baby, because he is going through life changes, and he does not need stress on the nervous system.

During the child’s adaptation period to kindergarten, parents need to be patient. Negative emotions will certainly be replaced by positive ones, indicating the end of this period. Some babies will cry for a long time when parting, but this does not indicate poor adaptation. If the baby calms down after his mother leaves after some time, then the adaptation is going well.

How to adapt a child to kindergarten

Parents need to prepare the baby in advance for visiting the kindergarten: several months before this event. Preparation includes reading fairy tales about visiting the kindergarten, playing “kindergarten”, walking near the kindergarten, telling the child about visiting this institution soon and making new friends for joint games.

If the parents had the opportunity to introduce the child to the teachers in advance, then it will be easier for the baby psychologically. It is especially important that the mother is present at this moment, and the child walks around the group and talks with the teachers.

It will be easier to adapt a child to kindergarten if he is physically healthy, without chronic diseases and without a predisposition to colds. Since the period of adaptation is marked by tension, all the body’s forces are directed towards adaptation, and if the body does not waste energy on fighting diseases, then this will be a good start.

Adaptation will be successful if the baby has the skills of independence in the following moments: partial dressing, using the potty, eating food independently. If a child can do all this, then he will not waste energy on urgent learning and will use the existing skills.

It’s easier for those kids whose routine is close to the kindergarten routine to get used to it. A month before entering kindergarten, parents should bring the child’s routine to that of kindergarten. To do this, you should check the preschool’s daily schedule in advance, and to get up easily in the morning, you should put your baby to bed no later than 20:30.

It is difficult for those children during the period of adaptation for whom several or one of these above conditions are not met.

It is necessary for the baby to be surrounded by a calm atmosphere at home. You should hug the baby more often, speak kind words, stroke his head, note his improvement in behavior, successes, and also praise him more, because he needs the support of his parents. Parents should be tolerant of the whims that arise due to overload of the nervous system. By hugging your child, you can help him calm down and quickly switch to another activity.

After agreeing with the teacher, you should give your child a small soft toy in the garden. Often babies need a toy as a substitute for their mother. The child will be much calmer when he presses something soft, which is a piece of home.

Having your parents come up with their own fairy tale about a little bunny who went to kindergarten for the first time, and how he was a little scared and uncomfortable, but then friends appeared and it became fun, will allow the baby to step more confidently into preschool. Psychologists advise playing out this fairy tale with toys. The key moment in the fairy tale, as well as in the game, is the return of the mother for the baby, so until this moment comes, you cannot interrupt the story. All this is started so that the baby understands: mom will definitely return.

It has been noted that the child and parent are most upset when they separate. How to organize the morning correctly so that both mother and baby have a successful day, and most importantly, a calm day?

Advice from psychologists: a calm mother means a calm baby. The mother's insecurity is transmitted to the child, and he becomes even more upset. Both in the garden and at home, you need to talk to your baby confidently and calmly. You should show benevolent persistence in the morning when waking up, then when getting dressed, and in a preschool institution when undressing. You should not talk to your baby in a loud, but firm and confident voice. Often, when waking up, a good helper is the very favorite toy that the baby takes with him to the garden. Seeing that the bear “really wants to go to the garden”, the child will be infected with a good mood and his confidence.

Psychologists advise taking the baby to the adult with whom it is easier for him to part. It has long been noticed that a child can part with one of the parents quite calmly, but with the other it is difficult, continuing to suffer after his departure. It is important to designate and tell the child when he will be picked up: after lunch, after a walk, or after he sleeps.

It’s easier for a baby to know that his mother will come for him after some routine moment than to wait for her every minute. Parents should not linger, but should keep their promises. You need to come up with your own farewell ritual: kiss, say “bye,” wave. After this, you should immediately leave: without turning around and confidently. The longer adults show indecisiveness, the more worried the baby is. Adults often make serious mistakes that make adaptation difficult.

Parents should not do the following during the adaptation period:

- you should not get angry or punish your baby for crying at home or when parting after mentioning the need to go to preschool. The baby has the right to such a reaction, but a strict reminder of the child’s promise not to cry is not effective. Children of this age do not yet know how to “keep their word.” It’s better to tell the baby about your love and that you will definitely take him;

- You should avoid talking with other family members about the child’s tears in his presence. Children feel their mother’s concern on a subtle level, and this further intensifies their anxiety;

- you can’t scare the garden, because this place will thus never become loved;

— you can’t speak negatively about the kindergarten and the teachers when the baby is around;

- you can’t lie by promising that you’ll pick him up soon, but the baby waits half a day, losing trust in a loved one.

Parents also need psychological help, since entering kindergarten is a test not only for children, but also for parents who experience great anxiety. Parents need to be confident in the need to attend kindergarten, then the baby, seeing the mother’s confidence, will adapt faster. You have to believe that the child is in fact not a weak creature at all and his adaptation system will endure, and he will cope. It is much worse if the child does not cry at all and is stressed. Crying acts as an assistant to the nervous system, preventing it from being overloaded. Therefore, you should not be afraid of a child’s crying or angry with the baby. In severe cases, you can use the help of a child psychologist who will tell parents how adaptation is going and assure them that really attentive people work in the garden.

Often, parents really need to know that their baby calms down quickly and easily after they leave, and this information is provided by psychologists and educators who monitor children during the adaptation process. Adults should also seek support from other parents whose children attend kindergarten. While supporting each other, it is important to celebrate and enjoy the successes of the kids, as well as ourselves.

Sibling rivalry.

The golden rule for parents is not to compare children with each other. And give everyone your affectionate nickname.

From birth to three or four years, the child lives in a comfortable home environment, communicates with close relatives, and performs familiar actions. Kindergarten is a completely new space, new conditions, new relationships. For a child whose body is in the process of physical and mental formation, such changes are a great challenge. It will take some time before the child can adapt to kindergarten.

Stages of adaptation of a preschooler to kindergarten

How does a child’s adaptation period go in a preschool? Experts have developed recommendations for teachers and parents, thanks to which the adaptation of young children is easy and painless.

At first, parents bring their child only for afternoon and evening walks to get to know the teacher and children in a relaxed atmosphere. It is advisable for the child to see how, after an evening walk, parents come to pick up their children from kindergarten;
At first, parents bring their child after breakfast. Firstly, he does not see the tears of other children when parting with their parents, secondly, he avoids eating in an unusual environment, and thirdly, he immediately gets involved in a game or educational activity. After the morning walk, the parents pick up the child;
Over the next few weeks, the child may come for breakfast and stay for lunch. Parents pick up the child before nap time;
After this, you can leave the child in kindergarten for a nap. For the first few days, parents are advised to pick up their child immediately after waking up, so that he does not have time to be frightened by the unusual environment.
After completing the adaptation period, the child remains in kindergarten for the whole day.

How long does it take for preschool children to adapt?

Some children get used to new conditions quickly and easily - within 1-3 weeks. For other children, the adaptation period drags on for several months.

If after 3 months the child still has symptoms of stress, adaptation to kindergarten is considered difficult and requires the participation of a specialist - a child psychologist.

Types of adaptation

Even if adaptation to kindergarten is easy, this does not mean that no changes occur in the child’s body! Manifestations of adaptation may be visible to the naked eye (moody, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance) or remain hidden.

Emotions

As a rule, in the first days of a child’s stay in kindergarten, negative emotions predominate - fear, grief, resentment, anger. They may manifest themselves in the form of whining, crying, trying to run or hide, hitting or biting. Sometimes the child does not show any emotions - he looks “inhibited”. It is important to understand that negative emotions are a normal reaction of a child to unusual conditions. Over time, they will be replaced by positive emotions, which will indicate the completion of adaptation in kindergarten.

Communication with children and adults

Some parents expect that in kindergarten the child will finally learn to eat with a spoon, use the potty, put on tights and tie shoelaces. However, during the adaptation process, the opposite happens - the child becomes completely helpless. There is no need to worry - soon he will not only “remember” forgotten skills, but will also acquire new ones.

Speech

At the beginning of the adaptation period, the child’s speech may deteriorate, which greatly worries parents. In the future, the child’s speech will not only be restored, but also improve - the vocabulary will be expanded, and pronunciation defects will be eliminated.

Dream

Sleep problems occur in children whose home routine differed significantly from the kindergarten routine. Daytime naps can cause disturbances in nighttime sleep (difficulty falling asleep, restlessness during sleep). After the adaptation period is completed, sleep and wakefulness patterns return to normal.

Appetite

New food with an unusual look, smell and taste may well not be liked by the child. In addition, the reasons for lack of appetite can be anxiety, fear, or resentment. If a child at least tries the food, that’s good.

Health

If he eats a portion and even asks for more, adaptation to kindergarten is successful.

What worries parents the most are diseases that literally begin to attack the child during the adaptation period. Unfortunately, periodic infectious diseases are inevitable during the first weeks or months of attending kindergarten. This is due to decreased immune defense and susceptibility to infections.

Common mistakes parents make

What should parents never do to avoid making it difficult to adapt to kindergarten? Scold and punish a child for negative emotions associated with kindergarten.
Phrase “You promised not to cry” doesn’t work; Frighten
and threaten kindergarten. “If you are disobedient, I will not take you away from kindergarten”;
Deceive, for example, promising to pick up the child early and not keeping the promise;
Give bad feedback about kindergarten, teachers, children;

Be inconsistent.

For example, take them to kindergarten “according to your mood.” Many modern parents are faced with the need..

However, this new period is not for all children. is painless.

This is very important, because for several years he will spend most of his active time in a preschool institution.

And with proper preparation, kindergarten will become a second home for the baby, teaching him independence and the ability to communicate. And this is undoubtedly will be useful to him in adult life.

What to do if the child does not listen? Find out about this from ours.

Features of addiction

Adaptation- the process of a person’s adaptation to new living conditions.

These changes have a certain impact on the psychological and emotional state.

At the same time, the psyche of a young child is more vulnerable Therefore, changes in external conditions, in particular when visiting kindergarten, are very stressful for him.

As a result of such stress, the body overexerts itself and wastes a large amount of energy. However, not all children experience this period with difficulty. Factors such as:

Excessive attachment to parents. At the same time, the baby experiences even a short-term separation from them more difficult.
He will have to get used to other people's adults (teacher, nanny), learn to fulfill their demands.
Lack of a clear daily routine. The preschool institution sets certain rules, you have to follow the established routine, and if the child is not used to this, it will be more difficult for him to get used to it.
The need to interact with other children. (as well as) may experience certain difficulties when communicating with peers.
You need to get used to being independent, because in a kindergarten group the teacher’s attention is divided among all the children.

The usual life of a baby who has started attending kindergarten, completely changes.

This is completely natural, and most often he gradually gets used to the conditions that are new to him.

However, if problems arise, it is necessary to help him go through the adaptation period.

Degree of adaptation of a child in a preschool educational institution

The following degrees of adaptation to the conditions of a preschool institution are distinguished:

Disadaptation(acute phase). This stage is characterized by a significant change in behavior, increased moodiness, and irritability.
There may be a temporary decrease in immunity, which leads to frequent illnesses. The baby's appetite and sleep are also disrupted. He refuses to visit the garden.
Adaptation period characterized by gradual adaptation to new circumstances and normalization of behavior. Some children get used to it quickly, others require a longer period.
Compensatory degree. The student feels confident in the new team, communicates well with peers, and establishes friendships. Calm behavior, moodiness, irritability disappear.

For everyone, the adaptation period proceeds differently. We are talking about easy adaptation if:

In some cases, certain problems may arise when entering kindergarten. Then it's about average degree of adaptation.

Such deviations include:

reluctance to remain in a group without parents. At the same time, the baby is easily distracted and forgets about the problem;
he communicates normally with his peers, but sometimes can create conflict situations;
The baby obeys the daily routine and the demands of adults, responds adequately to comments, but can sometimes express his dissatisfaction.

Characteristics of severe

For some, the adaptation process goes through more problematic It takes more time to get used to new conditions.

Severe adaptation is characterized by such features as:

Sleep disturbance. The baby often wakes up at night and refuses to fall asleep without his parents.
Lack of appetite. He not only does not want to try dishes that are unfamiliar to him, but also refuses those that he previously liked.
Temporary loss of skills. If a baby knows how to use a potty, owns cutlery, can dress independently, and clean up toys after itself, these skills may disappear during the first time after getting to know kindergarten. After adaptation, the skills return again.
Apathy. The child is not interested in toys, does not strive for cognitive activity, and does not pay attention to activities that he previously loved.
Behavior change. During the adaptation period, calm children can show aggression and irritability; active ones, on the contrary, become more lethargic and indifferent.
Decreased body defenses. During the period of addiction, the body is most susceptible to various infectious diseases.
The baby experiences stress, which is a common cause of decreased immunity.

How to help your baby adapt?

Parents of the baby must observe the following: rules:

Avoid conversations about problems that may arise in a preschool. Do not speak negatively about the kindergarten, teachers, or other children.
Send your child to the garden only when he completely healthy and feels good.
It is not recommended to send your child to a preschool educational institution at 3 years old. During this period, many children develop a behavior crisis, and a sudden change in conditions will only become additional stress.
Teach your baby to follow the established daily routine in advance.
Pre-introduce the future pupil with the teacher and other children in the group, if possible.
Talk about the positive aspects of visiting kindergarten (the opportunity to play with new toys, become more mature and independent).
Teach basic necessary self-care skills.
Don't show yours worries.
At first, the baby needs to be picked up from kindergarten early.
The most important thing is important tell your baby about your love, that forced separation will not affect your mutual feelings at all.

Often the adaptation process is painless, baby Gradually he gets used to kindergarten.

However, in some cases you cannot do without the help of a specialist.

If the child refuses to go to kindergarten

Sometimes the baby does not want to go to kindergarten, cries, shows aggression towards parents, doesn't want to let them go. How to persuade or convince a child to go to kindergarten?

Parents, first of all, need to identify the reason for this behavior, especially if the child used to go to kindergarten with pleasure (he was attracted to new toys, pictures, games with other children).

Perhaps the baby just doesn’t feel well, he had a dream and is scared? Every child faces such circumstances. quite natural, and after a while the problem solves itself.

Often the baby is scared separation from mom or dad. Then you need to discuss the problem with the teacher and ask, if possible, to spend more time with the baby. In addition, it is good if parents come to pick up the child at the same time. This will give the baby confidence.

If it leads to reluctance to attend kindergarten conflicts with peers, it is necessary to resolve this problem with the teacher or parents of other children (for example, if the baby is offended by his peers).

What is children's fairy tale therapy? find out right now.

Stress after visiting a group

Changes in usual conditions associated with visiting kindergarten - stress for anyone, even the calmest person.

What should parents do in such a situation?

Psychologists advise, first of all, talk to your children, talk about the positive aspects of visiting kindergarten (you can, for example, tell the child that he has become more mature, because now he “goes to work” like mom or dad).

In the evening, you need to ask how the child’s day went in kindergarten, what he did, and whether he made friends with other children.

To protect your baby from stress as much as possible, you should prepare him for kindergarten in advance. To do this, parents must establish a daily routine for the baby and ensure that the baby strictly follows it.

In addition, it is important to give him simple tasks in accordance with his age. This will allow the baby feel more independent. And of course, it is necessary to instill the self-care skills necessary for his age.

What to do with aggression?

When adapting behavior may change for the worse.

The baby develops aggression, even if he was previously calm and obedient.

This is a peculiar defensive reaction organism to changing conditions.

However, this problem cannot be left unattended, because the situation can only get worse. A peer who often fights and shows negativity is treated worse. Other children don't want to be friends with him, are not invited to play together. This causes even more stress.

Parents need to take action. First of all, the baby must be taught discipline. The baby must follow a daily routine not only in kindergarten, but also at home.

It is necessary to explain to the child that every misdeed will necessarily be followed by punishment. Moreover, the punishment must be proportionate to the offense committed.

We need to talk about how good it is to have friends, explain that it is necessary to share toys with other children, and, of course, warn about the inadmissibility of fights and conflicts.

If the baby has the makings of a leader, this can also cause aggressive behavior. And then it is necessary to tell that any problem is best solved in words, and not with the help of force. Moreover, parents should constantly prove this by your own example.

It is important to reconsider your behavior. Families characterized by scandals between parents most often grow up with aggressive children who consider this model of relationships to be the only possible one.

You can't let the baby watch violent programs and films where violence is promoted.

If the methods mentioned above remain ineffective, the baby should be shown to a psychologist.

How to stop a child from stealing from his parents? you will find on our website.

Are medications needed during this period?

Should I give my child medications during the adaptation period?

Medications, for example, Glycine, can lead to a positive result, however, they are prescribed only in particularly severe cases and only by doctor's prescription.

In all other situations, the best helpers will be love, affection and attention parents to their little treasure.

Adaptation is the natural process of a person getting used to changed external conditions. Any disruption to the usual rhythm of life, for example, entering kindergarten, is a strong stress for the body.

Therefore, it is quite natural that he gives the appropriate reaction. Of course, the severity of this reaction depends on the character of the baby, his upbringing, and living conditions.

Most children tolerate the adaptation without any problems, while others may experience problems. Often during adaptation, disturbances in appetite and sleep develop, moodiness, irritability, and aggression appear. An important task for parents— to help the baby survive this difficult period for him.

Consultation with a psychologist about the period of adaptation to kindergarten: