Easing Your Child's Back-To-School-Jitters

1. Set up a play date with a couple of kids from your child’s class before school starts. (You can often get a class list from the school.) Having your child see familiar faces once they start classes does a world of good to ease anxiety.

2. Read stories about school and separation. Some favorites: The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn; Scaredy Squirrel Makes A Friend by Melanie Watt; Kindergarten Rocks! by Katie Davis; My First Day at Nursery School by Becky Edwards. 

3. Don’t overemphasize expectations; they’ll learn the rules and expectations soon enough. Talk about the friendships or the fun, and just let them get comfortable with the idea of being somewhere other than home.