{"id":48029,"date":"2026-09-12T07:41:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T07:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/?p=48029"},"modified":"2026-09-12T07:46:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T07:46:16","slug":"parents-can-also-feel-emotional-at-school-drop-off-experts-say-as-separation-triggers-a-sense-of-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/12\/parents-can-also-feel-emotional-at-school-drop-off-experts-say-as-separation-triggers-a-sense-of-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Parents Can Also Feel Emotional at School Drop-Off, Experts Say, as Separation Triggers a Sense of Loss."},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"48029\" class=\"elementor elementor-48029\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bebf4e1 e-flex e-con-boxed cmsmasters-block-default e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bebf4e1\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21fd9a7 cmsmasters-block-default cmsmasters-sticky-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"21fd9a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>According to an expert, many parents experience anxiety during this transition but may hesitate to talk about it openly. Such feelings are generally considered a normal part of adjusting to change, although ongoing or overwhelming anxiety may require further attention.<\/h3><section><header><div>\u00a0<\/div><\/header><div>\u00a0<\/div><div><h3>When School Drop-Off Brings Tears for Parents Too<\/h3><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>A child becoming upset on the first day of school is hardly unusual. For many families, tears at the classroom door are simply part of the transition into a new routine. But while children are often the ones expected to struggle with saying goodbye, psychologists say parents can experience equally powerful emotions during this milestone.<\/p><p>For some mothers and fathers, the difficult moment does not necessarily come at the school gate. It may happen after they have walked away, returned to their car or finally found themselves alone with their thoughts.<\/p><p>One Dubai mother, Seema, experienced exactly that.<\/p><p>She had expected her daughter&#8217;s first day at school to be relatively straightforward. Her eldest child remained calm when it was time to say goodbye, and Seema managed to keep her own emotions under control as well.<\/p><p>At least, that was how it appeared.<\/p><p>Once she left the school and got into the car with her husband, her emotions suddenly surfaced.<\/p><p>&#8220;I felt my chest tightening and I couldn&#8217;t breathe,&#8221; she recalls. &#8220;I was fine while dropping her off, but the second I sat down, it hit me.&#8221;<\/p><p>The reaction caught her by surprise. Until that point, she had been focused on helping her daughter settle into her new environment. There had been no tears from the child, and Seema had managed to remain composed.<\/p><p>But once the immediate responsibility was over, the emotions she had been holding back came rushing forward.<\/p><p>Her husband noticed that she was struggling and immediately tried to help. He brought her some water and encouraged her to work through breathing exercises until she felt calmer.<\/p><p>She eventually managed to get through that first day.<\/p><p>However, the emotional response did not disappear immediately.<\/p><p>For more than a week and a half after that first school day, Seema found herself going through a similar experience. Each time she dropped her daughter off, she would return to the car and begin crying.<\/p><p>The reaction continued for more than ten days.<\/p><p>Looking back, however, Seema says the experience was temporary. Her daughter eventually settled into school life and grew up successfully. A decade later, she is doing well, while Seema has since watched two more children begin their own school journeys.<\/p><p>Neither of those later experiences triggered the same intense reaction.<\/p><h3>Why can parents become emotional?<\/h3><p>Although separation anxiety is commonly associated with children, mental health professionals say parents can experience their own form of distress when a child begins school.<\/p><p>Dr Nada Omer, Consultant Psychiatrist at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, explained that parental anxiety during this period is more widespread than many people may realise.<\/p><p>She described the experience as a form of separation anxiety that can affect both sides of the parent-child relationship.<\/p><p>&#8220;It is usually separation anxiety in both directions, not just the child&#8217;s,&#8221; she said.<\/p><p>For parents, the beginning of school can represent much more than a change in a child&#8217;s daily schedule. It can serve as a powerful reminder that their child is growing older and becoming increasingly independent.<\/p><p>Dr Nada said the milestone may create a sense of grief for some parents because it marks the end of a particular stage of childhood.<\/p><p>For a parent who has spent years caring for a child at home, the first day of school can suddenly make the passage of time feel very real.<\/p><p>The thought that &#8220;my baby is growing up&#8221; can carry considerable emotional weight.<\/p><p>Parents may also find themselves thinking about how quickly their children have reached this point. The first day of school can therefore become a symbolic moment, representing the transition from one stage of family life to another.<\/p><p>For some, those feelings may be mixed. A parent can feel proud that their child is ready for school while simultaneously feeling sad about no longer having the same level of closeness or control over their child&#8217;s daily life.<\/p><p>Excitement, pride, sadness, worry and even relief can all exist at the same time.<\/p><h3>Previous experiences can also play a role<\/h3><p>According to Dr Nada, emotional reactions surrounding school separation may not always be caused solely by the event happening in the present.<\/p><p>The transition can sometimes bring unresolved emotional experiences to the surface.<\/p><p>She noted that starting school may &#8220;trigger unresolved attachment patterns&#8221; in some parents. In other cases, the reaction could be connected to exhaustion or emotional overload.<\/p><p>Parents are often managing several responsibilities at once. Preparing a child for school can involve changes to sleep schedules, morning routines, meals, transportation and childcare arrangements.<\/p><p>When these practical demands are combined with the emotional significance of a major family milestone, parents may find themselves more vulnerable to stress.<\/p><p>This means a strong emotional reaction does not automatically indicate that something is wrong.<\/p><p>In many cases, experts consider these feelings to be part of the normal process of adapting to change.<\/p><p>The important distinction is whether the anxiety gradually settles or continues to interfere with everyday life.<\/p><p>Dr Nada explained that parental distress is generally regarded as a normal adjustment response unless it becomes persistent or begins affecting a person&#8217;s ability to function.<\/p><p>That could mean ongoing anxiety, difficulty managing daily responsibilities or emotional distress that does not ease as the child becomes comfortable at school.<\/p><h3>Preparing emotionally before the first day<\/h3><p>While much of the preparation for starting school focuses on the child, experts say parents should also prepare themselves.<\/p><p>Asra Sawar, a Clinical Psychologist at Aster Clinic, believes emotional preparation should receive as much attention as practical preparation.<\/p><p>Parents may spend weeks buying uniforms, organising school supplies and learning the new schedule. But preparing a child emotionally for separation is equally important \u2014 and parents should consider their own emotions during that process.<\/p><p>Families can introduce children to the school environment before the first official day. Visiting the campus, meeting teachers and becoming familiar with the classroom can make the surroundings feel less unfamiliar.<\/p><p>Parents can also explain what the school day will look like, including when they will leave, what the child will do during the day and when they will return.<\/p><p>Talking about separation in advance can help prevent the first goodbye from feeling like a completely unexpected experience.<\/p><p>According to Sawar, parents should not avoid conversations about the emotions associated with separation.<\/p><p>Instead, they can acknowledge that saying goodbye may feel strange or uncomfortable while reassuring children that they will return.<\/p><h3>Building familiarity through routine<\/h3><p>Dr Nada also recommends beginning preparations before school actually starts.<\/p><p>One useful step is establishing a consistent sleep schedule around one or two weeks ahead of the first day. This can help children adjust gradually rather than having to cope with a completely different routine overnight.<\/p><p>Families can also introduce shorter periods of separation before school begins.<\/p><p>For example, children might spend time with grandparents, attend playdates or stay with another trusted caregiver while their parents are away.<\/p><p>These experiences can gradually teach children that separation is temporary and that their parents will return.<\/p><p>Such exercises may also help parents become more comfortable with letting their children spend time away from them.<\/p><p>For a parent who has been closely involved in a child&#8217;s daily life, even a short period apart can initially feel uncomfortable.<\/p><p>Gradually increasing those periods can make the eventual school transition feel less abrupt.<\/p><h3>Parents need emotional preparation too<\/h3><p>Preparing a child is only one part of the process.<\/p><p>Parents may benefit from finding a healthy way to acknowledge and process their own feelings before they arrive at the school gate.<\/p><p>Dr Nada suggested that activities such as journaling or speaking with another parent can provide an opportunity to work through difficult emotions ahead of time.<\/p><p>This can be particularly useful for parents who already know that the transition is likely to be emotional.<\/p><p>Instead of waiting until the moment of separation to confront those feelings, parents can reflect beforehand on what the change means to them.<\/p><p>They might think about what they are proud of, what they will miss and what they are worried about.<\/p><p>Talking with another parent who has already experienced the transition can also provide reassurance.<\/p><p>Sometimes simply discovering that other mothers and fathers have had similar reactions can make the experience feel less isolating.<\/p><h3>Children notice more than parents realise<\/h3><p>There is another important reason for parents to pay attention to their emotional state: children are often very sensitive to the feelings of the adults around them.<\/p><p>Both experts agree that children can pick up on parental anxiety, even when parents do not explicitly tell them that they are worried.<\/p><p>Dr Nada explained that children are particularly responsive to the emotional signals of their caregivers.<\/p><p>This means that a parent who appears extremely nervous, hesitant or distressed at drop-off may unintentionally communicate to the child that the school environment is something to fear.<\/p><p>A child who was initially comfortable may then begin to wonder why their parent is so upset.<\/p><p>The result can be a cycle in which the parent&#8217;s anxiety increases the child&#8217;s distress, which in turn makes the parent even more anxious.<\/p><p>This does not mean parents should feel guilty for having emotions.<\/p><p>Instead, the goal is to prevent those emotions from becoming something the child feels responsible for managing.<\/p><h3>Staying calm at the school gate<\/h3><p>For parents who find separation difficult, Dr Nada has a simple message: &#8220;Leave like you&#8217;re sure, even if you don&#8217;t feel sure.&#8221;<\/p><p>The advice does not mean that parents have to eliminate their emotions.<\/p><p>A mother or father can feel nervous or sad while still presenting the child with a calm and reassuring goodbye.<\/p><p>A confident departure can communicate that school is safe and that separation is temporary.<\/p><p>Long, uncertain goodbyes may sometimes make the situation harder because they give both parent and child more time to become distressed.<\/p><p>A brief and reassuring farewell can help establish consistency.<\/p><p>Parents can acknowledge the child&#8217;s feelings, remind them that they will return and then allow the teacher to take over.<\/p><h3>It is normal to miss your child<\/h3><p>For some parents, the emotional difficulty of school drop-off comes from suddenly having more empty time than they are accustomed to.<\/p><p>A child who previously filled much of the day with conversation, play, meals and activities is suddenly spending several hours somewhere else.<\/p><p>That change can create an unexpected sense of absence.<\/p><p>Parents may find themselves looking at the clock, wondering what their child is doing or thinking about whether the child is happy.<\/p><p>These thoughts can be especially intense during the first few days.<\/p><p>As the child becomes more familiar with the school environment and develops relationships with teachers and classmates, parents may gradually become more comfortable with the new routine.<\/p><p>The emotional adjustment can therefore take time.<\/p><h3>A milestone for the whole family<\/h3><p>The beginning of school is often described as a major milestone for children, but it can also represent an important transition for parents.<\/p><p>It marks a point at which children begin spending a significant part of their day outside the family home and interacting with a wider social environment.<\/p><p>For parents, this can highlight how quickly childhood is progressing.<\/p><p>The sadness that accompanies this realisation does not necessarily mean that a parent is unhappy about the child&#8217;s development.<\/p><p>In fact, parents can feel enormous pride and happiness while also grieving the end of a familiar chapter.<\/p><p>These emotions can coexist.<\/p><p>Seema&#8217;s experience illustrates how unexpectedly powerful those feelings can be. Her daughter was calm on the first day, yet Seema found herself struggling once she was alone.<\/p><p>Over time, however, the intensity of the reaction faded.<\/p><p>Her daughter continued to grow and thrive, and Seema eventually experienced school beginnings with her younger children without going through the same level of distress.<\/p><h3>When should parents seek support?<\/h3><p>Feeling emotional during the first few days of school is not necessarily a cause for concern.<\/p><p>Parents may cry, feel nervous, experience sadness or find themselves missing their child. These reactions can be part of adapting to a major change.<\/p><p>The concern arises when anxiety does not ease or begins to affect everyday functioning.<\/p><p>If a parent remains severely distressed for an extended period, struggles to carry out normal responsibilities or finds that anxiety is interfering with family life, professional support may be appropriate.<\/p><p>Seeking help does not mean a parent has failed to cope. It can simply provide another way to understand and manage difficult emotions.<\/p><p>For most families, however, the adjustment becomes easier with time.<\/p><p>Children gradually become familiar with their teachers, classrooms and classmates, while parents become accustomed to the new routine.<\/p><h3>Helping children \u2014 and themselves \u2014 adjust<\/h3><p>Experts suggest that parents should approach school separation as a transition that affects the entire family rather than something that only the child needs to overcome.<\/p><p>Practical preparation can make the process smoother, but emotional preparation is equally valuable.<\/p><p>Parents can familiarise children with the school environment, introduce changes to sleeping patterns ahead of time and provide opportunities for short separations before the first day.<\/p><p>At the same time, parents can acknowledge their own emotions and find ways to process them before standing at the classroom door.<\/p><p>The aim is not to pretend that separation is effortless.<\/p><p>Instead, parents can demonstrate confidence while accepting that they may feel sad.<\/p><p>Children do not need parents who never experience anxiety. They need reassurance that the adults caring for them believe they are safe and capable of handling the new experience.<\/p><p>A calm goodbye can therefore be reassuring even when the parent is privately emotional.<\/p><h3>The first goodbye may be harder for parents<\/h3><p>School drop-off is often portrayed as a moment when children cling to their parents and struggle to let go.<\/p><p>But sometimes, the child walks into the classroom without hesitation while the parent is the one left fighting back tears.<\/p><p>That experience can be surprising, particularly when parents have expected themselves to feel only excitement or pride.<\/p><p>For some, the emotional reaction may last a few minutes. For others, it may take several days or longer to settle.<\/p><p>What matters, experts say, is recognising that these feelings can be a normal response to change.<\/p><p>Starting school represents a new chapter not only in a child&#8217;s life but also in the life of the family.<\/p><p>Parents may miss the routines they have shared with their children, feel emotional about how quickly they are growing and worry about whether they will cope without them.<\/p><p>Those feelings do not make a parent weak.<\/p><p>With preparation, reassurance and time, most families gradually find their new rhythm.<\/p><p>And while the first school goodbye can be unexpectedly emotional, it can also be the beginning of an important stage in a child&#8217;s development \u2014 one that parents can learn to embrace even as they quietly wipe away their own tears.<\/p><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d93c1e2 e-flex e-con-boxed cmsmasters-block-default e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d93c1e2\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-740f942 cmsmasters-block-default cmsmasters-sticky-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"740f942\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><section><header>Helping Children Handle School Separation<div>\u00a0<\/div><\/header><div>\u00a0<\/div><div><h3>Creating a Calm and Consistent Goodbye<\/h3><p>Asra Sawar, a Clinical Psychologist at Aster Clinic, advises parents to make the school drop-off routine simple, familiar and consistent. Rather than allowing the goodbye to become lengthy or uncertain, families can establish a brief ritual that the child recognises and expects each morning.<\/p><p>The routine does not need to be complicated. It could involve a warm hug, a few reassuring words and a clear farewell before the parent leaves. Repeating the same sequence each day can give children a sense of predictability and help them understand what will happen next.<\/p><p>For example, a parent might hug the child, remind them that they are safe and tell them when they will return. Once those words have been said, the parent can say goodbye and allow the child to enter the classroom with the support of the teacher.<\/p><p>Keeping the process consistent can be especially useful during the first few days of school. Children are adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings, new adults, new classmates and a different daily schedule. A predictable goodbye can become one familiar part of an otherwise unfamiliar experience.<\/p><h3>Acknowledge the child&#8217;s feelings<\/h3><p>Sawar also stresses the importance of recognising what children are feeling rather than immediately trying to dismiss their concerns.<\/p><p>A child who says they are scared, nervous or worried about being away from a parent may not benefit from hearing that there is &#8220;nothing to worry about.&#8221; Although such reassurance is usually well-intentioned, it can unintentionally make children feel that their emotions are not being understood.<\/p><p>Instead, parents can acknowledge the emotion while simultaneously reassuring the child that they are capable of managing the situation.<\/p><p>The message might be along the lines of: &#8220;I know this feels difficult and you may miss me, but you are safe here, and your teacher will be there to help you.&#8221;<\/p><p>This approach recognises that the child&#8217;s feelings are genuine without suggesting that those feelings mean the child should avoid school.<\/p><p>There is an important difference between accepting an emotion and agreeing with the fearful conclusion that may accompany it.<\/p><p>A child can genuinely feel nervous about entering a classroom while still being perfectly capable of spending the school day there.<\/p><h3>Validation does not mean avoiding the situation<\/h3><p>For parents, understanding this distinction can be particularly helpful.<\/p><p>When a child becomes upset at the school entrance, the natural response may be to try to make the uncomfortable feeling disappear as quickly as possible. Parents may want to reassure the child repeatedly, delay leaving or even consider taking the child home.<\/p><p>While such reactions may provide immediate relief, they can sometimes reinforce the idea that school is a situation from which the child needs to be rescued.<\/p><p>Instead, parents can communicate two messages at the same time.<\/p><p>The first is that the child&#8217;s feelings are understood.<\/p><p>The second is that those feelings do not prevent the child from continuing with the school day.<\/p><p>In practical terms, a parent might say, &#8220;I can see that you&#8217;re nervous. It&#8217;s okay to feel that way. Your teacher is here to help you, and I&#8217;ll be back after school.&#8221;<\/p><p>This tells the child that anxiety is manageable rather than dangerous.<\/p><h3>Teaching children that uncomfortable feelings can pass<\/h3><p>One of the longer-term lessons children can learn from these early school experiences is that feeling nervous does not necessarily mean something bad will happen.<\/p><p>A child may initially believe that being away from a parent is unbearable. With repeated experiences of separation, however, they can discover that they are able to cope.<\/p><p>They enter the classroom, participate in activities, spend time with their teacher and eventually reunite with their parent.<\/p><p>Each successful experience can strengthen their confidence.<\/p><p>Over time, the child may begin to understand an important idea: it is possible to feel worried and still move forward.<\/p><p>That lesson can extend beyond school.<\/p><p>Children encounter many unfamiliar situations as they grow \u2014 joining a new activity, meeting new people, attending events without their parents or facing other changes in routine. Learning early that uncomfortable emotions can be tolerated can help them approach future challenges with greater confidence.<\/p><h3>Parents also need reassurance<\/h3><p>The same principle applies to parents.<\/p><p>School separation can trigger strong emotions in mothers and fathers, particularly when it represents a significant milestone in their child&#8217;s development.<\/p><p>A parent may know intellectually that the child is safe at school but still feel anxious after leaving.<\/p><p>In such cases, parents can acknowledge their own emotions rather than judging themselves for having them.<\/p><p>Feeling sad, worried or unsettled does not mean they are doing something wrong.<\/p><p>The important point is how they respond to those emotions.<\/p><p>Parents can remind themselves that their child is entering an environment designed to support learning, development and social interaction. They can also remember that the separation is temporary and that the child will return home.<\/p><h3>Why consistency matters<\/h3><p>A predictable goodbye can reduce uncertainty for both children and parents.<\/p><p>If the farewell takes five minutes one day, twenty minutes the next and ends with the parent sometimes leaving and sometimes staying, the child may have difficulty understanding what to expect.<\/p><p>A consistent routine provides a clearer pattern.<\/p><p>The child learns that the parent arrives, offers reassurance, says goodbye and leaves \u2014 and that the parent eventually returns.<\/p><p>This predictability can make the separation easier to understand.<\/p><p>It can also prevent repeated negotiations at the classroom door.<\/p><p>Parents may be tempted to prolong the goodbye when their child is crying, but a lengthy departure can sometimes increase emotional distress because both parent and child remain focused on the separation.<\/p><p>A short, affectionate and confident goodbye may provide a clearer signal that the transition is moving forward.<\/p><h3>Confidence can be reassuring<\/h3><p>Children often look to adults for cues about how they should interpret unfamiliar situations.<\/p><p>If a parent appears extremely frightened or uncertain, a child may conclude that there is something dangerous about the situation.<\/p><p>Conversely, when parents acknowledge the child&#8217;s concerns while calmly communicating confidence, they can help create a sense of security.<\/p><p>This does not require parents to hide every emotion.<\/p><p>A parent can be sad about leaving while still communicating, &#8220;You are safe, you can handle this, and I will see you later.&#8221;<\/p><p>That balance can be more helpful than pretending that difficult feelings do not exist.<\/p><h3>Avoid dismissing fears<\/h3><p>Parents sometimes respond to a worried child by saying things such as &#8220;Don&#8217;t be scared,&#8221; &#8220;There&#8217;s nothing to worry about&#8221; or &#8220;You will be fine.&#8221;<\/p><p>These statements are understandable, but they may not always address what the child is actually experiencing.<\/p><p>From the child&#8217;s perspective, the fear is real even if the situation itself is safe.<\/p><p>Dismissing the emotion can leave the child feeling misunderstood.<\/p><p>Acknowledging it, however, does not mean telling the child that the fear is justified.<\/p><p>There is a middle ground: recognise the emotion and reinforce the child&#8217;s ability to cope.<\/p><p>A parent can say, &#8220;I know this feels strange,&#8221; while also making clear that school is a safe place and that the child can manage the separation.<\/p><h3>Building emotional resilience<\/h3><p>This approach can gradually help children develop emotional resilience.<\/p><p>Resilience does not mean never becoming frightened, sad or anxious. Instead, it involves learning that difficult emotions can be experienced without automatically controlling behaviour.<\/p><p>A child who learns to enter school despite feeling nervous is practising this skill in a relatively manageable situation.<\/p><p>The experience teaches them that emotions can change.<\/p><p>They may begin the morning feeling worried but later become absorbed in an activity, talk to classmates, interact with their teacher or enjoy something that happens during the day.<\/p><p>Eventually, the memory of successful school days can become more powerful than the fear associated with the first few drop-offs.<\/p><h3>What parents can do at the school gate<\/h3><p>When the moment of separation arrives, parents can keep their approach straightforward.<\/p><p>They can:<\/p><ul><li>Acknowledge the child&#8217;s feelings without exaggerating them.<\/li><li>Offer physical reassurance, such as a hug.<\/li><li>Give one clear and positive message about safety.<\/li><li>Remind the child that they will return.<\/li><li>Follow the same goodbye routine each day.<\/li><li>Avoid repeatedly changing their decision about leaving.<\/li><li>Allow teachers to support the child once the farewell is complete.<\/li><li>Remain calm and confident, even if they personally feel emotional.<\/li><\/ul><p>The goal is not to force a child to stop feeling nervous immediately.<\/p><p>Instead, the child is being shown that nervousness can coexist with participation.<\/p><h3>Giving children permission to feel<\/h3><p>Emotional validation can also teach children that their feelings are acceptable.<\/p><p>A child should not feel ashamed because they are frightened about starting school.<\/p><p>Saying, &#8220;It&#8217;s okay to feel nervous,&#8221; gives the child permission to experience the emotion without believing that something is wrong with them.<\/p><p>At the same time, parents can encourage action.<\/p><p>The message becomes: &#8220;You are nervous, and you can still go inside.&#8221;<\/p><p>This is different from telling a child that they should not feel afraid.<\/p><p>It also differs from allowing fear to determine whether they attend school.<\/p><p>The first approach teaches emotional awareness and coping.<\/p><h3>The lesson children carry forward<\/h3><p>With repeated practice, children can begin to develop a more balanced understanding of anxiety.<\/p><p>Instead of thinking, &#8220;I am scared, so I cannot do this,&#8221; they can gradually learn, &#8220;I am scared, but I can try.&#8221;<\/p><p>That shift may appear small, but it can have lasting significance.<\/p><p>The child learns that an uncomfortable emotion does not necessarily signal danger and does not always require escape.<\/p><p>Each morning provides another opportunity to practise that understanding.<\/p><p>Eventually, the school entrance that once felt intimidating can become a familiar part of everyday life.<\/p><h3>Supporting the transition together<\/h3><p>The adjustment process works best when parents, children and teachers are working toward the same goal.<\/p><p>Parents can provide reassurance and consistency at home and during drop-off. Teachers can help children settle into the classroom and redirect their attention toward activities and interactions.<\/p><p>When everyone responds in a consistent way, the child receives a clear message: feeling nervous is acceptable, but school remains a safe and manageable part of the routine.<\/p><p>For parents, the process can also require patience.<\/p><p>Some children adjust within a few days, while others need more time. The presence of tears or hesitation does not necessarily mean that the transition is failing.<\/p><p>What matters is helping the child experience separation repeatedly while giving them the emotional support needed to cope.<\/p><h3>A simple message with a lasting impact<\/h3><p>Ultimately, the advice is not about eliminating anxiety from the school experience.<\/p><p>It is about helping children understand that anxiety can be present without preventing them from taking the next step.<\/p><p>A brief hug, a reassuring statement and a predictable goodbye can give children both emotional comfort and a clear sense of what happens next.<\/p><p>Parents can acknowledge that starting school may feel difficult while confidently reinforcing the idea that their child is capable of handling it.<\/p><p>With time and repeated positive experiences, the child can begin to internalise an important lesson: feeling nervous is not a reason to stop.<\/p><p>They can miss their parents, feel uncertain about a new environment and still walk through the classroom door.<\/p><p>That ability to recognise an emotion without allowing it to dictate their actions is an important part of growing independence. And for many children, the first school drop-off can be an early opportunity to learn exactly that.<\/p><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting school can be an emotional experience for parents as well as children. Experts say that saying goodbye at the school gates may bring feelings of sadness, loss, or grief, especially when parents are adjusting to a new stage of family life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[84,9],"tags":[],"post_template":[],"top_category":[],"class_list":["post-48029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-uae","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48029"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48034,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48029\/revisions\/48034"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48029"},{"taxonomy":"post_template","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_template?post=48029"},{"taxonomy":"top_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/top_category?post=48029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}