We often ask whether children are ready for preschool - but what about parents?

For many, the lead-up to preschool brings a swirl of thoughts: Should we start now? Will they be okay without me? What if drop-off is a disaster? You’re not just choosing a school - you’re stepping into a new role that's maybe less hands-on but still deeply important.

In the early years, parenting is immersive. You know your child’s rhythms, moods, what that particular whine means. You’ve been their translator, their advocate, their safe place. Handing that over to someone else - especially when your child clings, cries, or looks unsure - isn’t just emotional. It’s needed for their development. It asks for trust, and the ability to sit with your own discomfort so your child can learn to sit with theirs.

You might feel conflicted - relief at having time again, heartache when they struggle, guilt... These aren’t contradictions. They’re reminders that you, too, are in transition.

Being preschool ready isn’t about not feeling those things. It’s about scaffolding your own response, just as you scaffold theirs: noticing the wobble, and holding steady. Choosing to pause rather than protect. To respond, not rescue.

Preschool doesn’t mean you have to step away. It means you step back - with intention. That shift from doing to guiding is subtle but profound. You begin to hand over small pieces of control, while still being the anchor your child returns to.

That’s where your readiness comes in. Not in how upbeat you seem at drop-off, but in how you stay steady when the goodbye is hard, how you meet a bad day without spiralling into doubt, how you trust that discomfort - for both of you. These are all signs of growth.

This phase doesn’t ask for perfection. Just presence, patience, and the willingness to grow alongside your child. With time, things tend to settle. Your confidence builds. The days begin to feel a little lighter. And as your child starts to find their place in this new world, you will find yours too.