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Surprisingly, it's the nonacademic skills that count at this stage, including the ability to lis- ten and follow directions, cooperate with other children and work alone for at least 10 minutes at a time. Little tykes also should be able to use the bathroom, and take coats on and off by themselves (that means lit- - tle hands can manage zippers and buttons). "It is the degree to which you can take care of yourself that will help when it comes to being a success in kindergarten," says Dr. Lawrence Johnson, director of the Arlitt Child ummer is over, and it's time for kids to return to pencils, books and teachers' dirty looks. For some families, the new school year also means the return to spats over homework, bedtime and morn- ing routines. Parents soon find there's more to preparing Max and Ashley for the classroom than buying their . new school clothes and supplies. While new threads may ease them into the playground social scene, you can do more to ensure their academic success by giving them the right men- tal tools. Gearing up for school should start a few weeks before the bell rings. "Don't wait-until the last week to start preparing children for school," says Dr. Lou Ann Todd Mock, a psy- chologist at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Her advice: Three weeks before school begins, start shifting your child's schedule by gradually moving bedtime up to a school- night hour. That way, he won't be cranky and sleep-deprived on the first day. Mornings are typically a har- ried time for families, says Mock, but on the first day of school it's nice if at least one par- ent isn't on a tight schedule. Lay Parents are a child's first teachers. out school clothes the night before, and get the children up a Development Center at the Universi- little earlier so they can have a leisure- ty of Cincinnati. "If a child cannot ly breakfast. do these basics, some teachers could If every morning turns into a bat- become resentful because the child tle of wills, Mock suggests setting up takes up too much of their time. some kind of reward system to "Independence is really the keys" encourage a recalcitrant child to get he adds. "Most kindergarten class- up, get dressed and get moving. rooms are pretty large, and so those Aside from easing back into the who can fend for themselves do pret- fall routine, Mock says it's important ty well." for parents to have an upbeat atti- Less important are the academic tude toward school. No matter what skills kids bring to kindergarten. age kids are, parents shouldn't Don't worry if your child can't color "infect" them with their own nega- within the lines, count to 20 or read tive attitudes toward school, teach- on his own. If he can go to the bath- ers, homework, even yucky cafeteria room and get along with the other food. children, he's in good shape. A child's very first day of school One of the best things parents can requires more planning. It's a big step do is prepare children to learn to moving from the world of preschool read. If you've been reading to your to kindergarten. Because big-kid child, by kindergarten she'll under- school may seem scary, "children stand that stories have a beginning, beginning school should have a middle and end. Kindergarten is only chance to go and see where their the first of many academic transi- classroom will be and maybe meet the tions. For many kids, moving from Alison Ashton writes for Copley News grade school to middle school is a bic , Service.