By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

It's your child's first day of school and you're both a little nervous. Don't despair. With a little pre-planning, you and your child can have a successful school debut.

"Talk with your child about school and teachers in a positive way," recommends Ann Ricker, educational support specialist for the University of Georgia's Cooperative Extension Service. "Read books about school and play school with young children," she said. "Let them take turns being teachers. Encourage the teacher not to fuss at students. Many children will role play with the teacher as an authoritarian. While respect for the teacher must be encouraged, the teacher is not a villain," Ricker stressed.

"Encourage older children to talk about fun experiences at school with younger children," she added.

Ricker also suggests establishing a place to do homework, even for preschoolers, as it sets a good pattern for the future. Whether it's a desk in the child's room or a spot at the kitchen table, Ricker advocates keeping school supplies in a convenient location. "This saves many hours hunting for pencils and crayons," Ricker said.

"Visit the school prior to the first day and allow the child to familiarize himself with the building's layout. Explain how they go to various areas for different activities, for instance, the cafeteria for lunch and the playground for recess," Ricker recommends.

"Allow the child to meet the teacher at registration or open house before the first day of school. Also, get a supply list in advance and have the items labeled and placed in the appropriate container by the first day of school. This makes the student's and teacher's day go much smoother," noted Ricker, who is also a former teacher.

Clothing can be a touchy subject between parent and child, so Ricker recommends having school clothes chosen and laid out neatly the night before. "You may also want to do baths the night before," she said. "Take time to discuss any fears, anxieties or excited feelings the child may have. This is a special time to be positive, and offer reassurance that everything will be fine."

On the "big day" make sure he has breakfast. "A bread, fruit and milk is a good start. Encourage the child to eat in relaxed way. His little stomach will be nervous," Ricker said.

She reminds parents to check out drop- off procedures for your child's school. "You may need to take the child into the school, or drop them off," she explained. Ricker's key advice is "Don't hang around."

"Explain to your child that you leave them at school and you return to get them later," she said. "Most fears stem from the fact that children are afraid parents won't come back for them," Ricker said.

"Let them know you will be thinking of them, and can't wait to hear about their wonderful day. Be sure they get a hug and a kiss. My kids are 16 and 11; I still tell them I love them when they get out of the car at school," remarked Ricker.

When it comes to packing snacks and lunch, Ricker goes for foods that are low in sugar and fat. She suggests fruits and small sandwiches or crackers, cheese or juice for snacks and lunch, with an emphasis on foods your child will eat. "Freezing juice packs can be good and bad," Ricker warns. "Often they don't thaw by the time the child needs to drink it. Do a trial run at home to determine how quickly a juice pack will thaw," she said.

Another helpful hint for packing lunch is placing an ice pack in a small zip-lock bag to keep the condensation off the food.

Love notes snuck into the lunch bag or box can also be a nice reminder to kids that their parents are thinking about them, added Ricker.

When school is dismissed, make sure you are not the last parent to pick-up your child. "Children begin to feel deserted and lonely if you are not early," warned Ricker. "If they are riding the bus, meet them at the bus stop."

Once you and your child are at home, Ricker suggested ways to encourage children to report on their day's activities.

"Some children are more comfortable drawing a picture about their day and then talking about it. The child may want to role play school and be the teacher and the parent be the student. This is a good way to see how the day went," Ricker said.

"Be aware that not all experiences may have been good. Encourage the child to talk about ways to make bad experiences OK."

What if you hear, "Mom, I hate school and I'm never going back!"

"First off, don't fuss at the child. Instead, talk about things that can improve the day. Find out what made the child unhappy, and talk about ways to make the day better. Explain that all people, even adults have a bad day from time to time. "Encourage the child to give school another chance for a few days," advised Ricker.

Communication with your child's teacher is paramount to a successful year. "Be sure the teacher is sensitive to special needs and concerns," concludes Ricker.