Vincent’s First Grade Update

This post is sponsored by Kandoo Flushable Wipes. The opinions and content are my own. I only work with brands I truly love, thank you for your support.

Teaching our children to be independent can be one of the hardest things. They come into the world, and they need you for everything. A sweet bond is built upon this and then one day you have to start doing less for them. Raise your hand if you’ve struggled with this, because I know I do. This year, I have shared our struggles with the start of first grade. Adjusting to the new routine and responsibilities has been tough on Vincent, which in turn has been tough on us. We do all we can to give Vinny the tools he needs to be independent and confident in what he does. Sometimes the tools work and he has a great day, and other times he needs that extra push to get him going. I find that the most important thing we can do as parents is stay positive, keep communications open with the school and most importantly make sure your child feels heard.

We teamed up with Kandoo Flushable Wipes to help Vinny be a little more independent in the bathroom. This is a perfect example of giving him the tools he NEEDS. When I say NEEDS I mean needs. When I’m not there to help him wipe, it shows in his undies. If you’re a Mom I don’t think I need to paint this picture. Well, Kandoo Flushable Wipes have helped him get a super clean wipe on his own. They are in a little tub we keep right next to the potty. They recently revamped the Kandoo Flushable Wipes Tub and it’s even better than before. It’s easier to open and close to ensure the moisture is locked in. The base is anti-slip and one wipe comes up at a time which is so necessary because Vinny would grab by the handful and waste a bunch of wipes. Best of all the wipes keep him fresh and clean. Kandoo Flushable Wipes are one of the many tools we give to Vinny to help him become independent successfully.

As far as tools for a successful first grade here is what we have done so far. I have been putting notes of reinforcement in his lunch every day. As his vocabulary and ability to sound out words improves I’m able to write a little more and more. But, even a simple I <3 U or emoji is enough to put a smile on Vinny’s face. I have been keeping an open line of communication between his teacher, guidance counselor and myself. When Vinny feels the support from all three of us it eases his nerves. Part of our plan of action has also been to schedule more one-on-one time with Vinny and myself. It doesn’t have to be elaborate like going to an arcade, something as simple as him and I going on a walk to the park or breakfast just us two is all he needs to feel special. One of the best activities we have done to help with school nerves so far is creating worry jars. We each made our own. We decorated mason jars, wrote down our worries and put them inside. When the jar is closed we try and keep our worries out of our mind. Each day we open the worry jar, read all of our worries and worry, worry, worry. If any of the worries we wrote down are something we don’t worry about anymore we rip them up! Boy, is that a GREAT feeling. Once we are done we put them back inside and try not to worry about them for the rest of the day. I always remind Vinny, worries are like weeds: the more you think about them the more they will grow. I hope if any of your little ones are struggling with any worries this idea helps, I know it has worked wonders for us. Vincent is still learning to adjust and having hard days, but continued support and consistency are going to be key to getting him to feel more adjusted at school. Well, there you have it that is our first grade update.

Transitions, responsibility, and independence can be so tough on a kid, giving them the tools they need to succeed is so important. From Kandoo Flushable Wipes for a clean behind, to special notes in lunches and worry jars,  we do all we can as Moms to make sure our kiddos feel loved and supported whether they’re at home or at school.