How to Deal With the First Day of Preschool When Your Child Is Upset
Many children experience separation anxiety on their first day of school. Your child may be used to always having you around and will find attending school without you there to help and support her a daunting idea. Ease her anxiety by remaining calm and focusing on the enjoyment awaiting her in the classroom.
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Instructions
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Stay positive. A child will only get more upset if he knows you are also sad or getting frustrated with his anxiety. Keep your voice upbeat and talk about the day of fun he has ahead of her and all the new friends he's going to make.
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Enter the classroom with her and point out all the fun and interesting things she can play with and explore throughout the day. Many preschool teachers allow parents to stay with their child for a few minutes and accompany them as they get their bearings. Help your child find the location of her coat peg or her cubby to get her familiar with her new surroundings.
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Say goodbye briefly and warmly. Don't drag out the separation, as this will only make your child more anxious. Make sure you leave on a positive and encouraging note. Give him a kiss and a hug, tell him to have fun and remind him that you'll be back in a few hours to take him home. Avoid hanging around to make sure he's okay — as parents it's difficult to leave your child in the hands of someone else, but he will soon get involved in playing with other children.
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Tips & Warnings
Set up a play date with one of the children in her class. When you visit the school for the information day or evening prior to your child starting, befriend one or two of the other parents of the children in your child's class and arrange a play date. This way your child can go to school on her first day knowing she already has friends.
Be patient. It will likely take a few days for your child to stop worrying about attending preschool and start looking forward to each day. You may need to repeat your methods of reassurance each morning for a while until the tears stop. If the problem persists for several days, arrange a meeting with the teacher to find out if your child is having adjustment problems in the class.
