Visit the school, play in the playground, meet the teacher and talk about what happens in a school day. All can help them adjust. Children's books about school life also can help kids understand what to expect in school. In addition, videos about school life, such as that created by television's Mr. Rogers, give young children concrete images about what school will be like. Tears inevitably will be part of some young children's return to school, but Dr. Smith advises parents to rely on teachers to comfort children.
Teachers are the ones who say how long the parent remains.
Usually, when the parent leaves, the crying stops quickly. For elementary school children, Dr. Smith advises making returning to school something special. An outing to buy new school supplies can also be fun. Even if school supply lists include specific items, allow children some freedom to buy something they want, such as a particularly cool pencil pack, he says. With older children and teens, emphasize going back to school is a new beginning.