In many of life's situations it is the child's first experience which counts the most. If a child's first visit to a dentist consists of a jolly conversation, an examination that is neither painful nor frightening, and a brand new toothbrush to top it off, his ensuing visits will be easier for him. If his first independent shopping trip to the familiar corner store for a loaf of bread comes off without mishap, he will be eager to go shopping another time. There is a proverb that says: "Nothing succeeds like success." This one has more psychological truth than any other. Every successful experience increases the likelihood of a repeat performance being successful, too. Further, the more successful experiences a child has in a number of areas, the more likely he is to be successful on moving into a brand new area, since each success helps build self-confidence and independence. However, there are innumerable situations that do not depend on intangible factors, in which you can help your preschooler achieve independence by means of comparatively simple techniques. It is these situations which are brought out in this book. The situations in themselves involve independence, situations in which your little child has to deal with persons other than his own family, places other than his own home. Stress is placed on the first times he goes to these various places, first times he has to relate to unfamiliar people. It is the first experiences, more than any other, that count in building independence.The simple but effective techniques which are here discussed and illustrated will help increase your security as a parent and thus serve doubly to aid both you and your child