For those children who have not attended pre-school, it would be helpful for parents to send their child to a babysitter or have them attend a play group. This will help them prepare to spend more time away from their parents. Rehearse the process by taking the child to the school and walking that child to the school door, explaining that when school starts mom will go home and the child will be able to go inside and learn at school. Many schools have orientation. As children move from the elementary to the middle or junior high school and then the junior to the high school setting, new types of anxieties arise.
Concerns focus on changing classes and remembering locker combinations.
In addition, this age group tends to awfulize situations. According to Dr. Hinshaw, parents can deal with these anxieties by reassuring the child and explaining that schedules are set allowing time to go from class to class. You are only going by one person s opinion. Perhaps that person didn t have a good relationship with the teacher. You might have a great relationship with this teacher.