Boost your child’s social confidence by ensuring School has opportunities for play experiences with other children of the same age. Further, if you can introduce her to the idea of sharing and taking turns before she starts School, she may find the whole experience less overwhelming.

Spend quality time with your child. Convey a positive attitude. She should be made excited and happy about the new venture she is about to embark. Talk to your child enthusiastically about the fun children have at School. Highlight the excitement, talk to her about making new friends, enjoying the story time, the singing and dancing and all the other activities the school will provide.

Make sure you take her to the school every time you make a visit. Show her what interests her, the swings area, the activity room; whatever you think will hold her interest. Familiarity should reduce the fear.

Distract her fear with all the goodies. Provide her with familiarized comfort by surrounding her with her own favourites. Take her shopping; let her buy her own bag, select her own pencil box, lunch box, water bottle.

Rituals and routines add predictability and are comforting in unfamiliar situations. Therefore, establish a routine for both the night before a School day as well as for the following morning.

When it’s finally ‘The Day’- make sure you go to drop her to school. Don’t be surprised at her behavior. She might just adjust to new environment quicker than you must have expected or he might just cling to you and be shy or cry. At that moment, the child is in a mixed feeling, she is attracted to the toys and the new school environment but at the same time she is scared to let go of you. In a situation like this, don’t rush through things. Go down to the level of the child, maintain an eye contact and firmly tell her where you will be after you go and when will you pick her. Stick by it and on your return, repeat what you had said. This will help her feel secure and strengthen her belief in you.

Lastly, never miss an opportunity to attend School events like PTM.s, workshop, orientation sessions etc. These occasions give you the opportunity to personally meet and discuss issues like settling-in with your child’s educators.