Back to school sometimes leads to morale of parents and children. A pediatrician reveals how to transform this rupture into a reassuring transition thanks to the right words used at the right time.
Back to school is often a mixture of excitement and nervousness. For children, especially the youngest, it is sometimes even the first great separation with their parents. This is why, Doctor Mona Amin, a pediatrician in Florida and Maman, wanted to share his advice in one of his YouTube videos, as you approach the start of the school year.
First of all, she reassures parents: “The anxiety of separation is normal, particularly between nine and eighteen months, but it can resurface later, in kindergarten or even during changes in school environment”, she underlines. According to her, it is not a sign of fragility or educational failure: it is a sign that a child is attached and that he must learn to feel safe away from his bearings. For some, the transition is done without clashes: the child rushes towards the class and begins to play. For others, it is slower, each step towards the door pretending to weigh. In her office, the pediatrician often compares this adaptation to a pair of new shoes: “Some are doing immediately, others ask to soften them. In both cases, the parent’s support is decisive”.
First advice from the pediatrician: “Prepare the child before the big day, explain what will happen, show him the places or the people who will welcome him and repeat this ritual several times so that it is not a surprise”. The goal being that the start of the school year, the child knows what to expect and can cling to a known scenario, rather than competing a disturbing void. Once there, everything is played in a few moments. Doctor Mona Amin recommends a short, consistent and always identical ritual: a few chosen words, a gesture of affection, and a net departure. Thus, the sentence “I love you, see you later after a snack!” is, for her, the most effective.
The longer you will extend, the more you will increase the risk of feeding the child’s concerns. On the other hand, leaving without saying goodbye is a false good idea: it can cause loss of confidence and make the following separations more complicated. Over time, the child will quickly take his marks and this little habit of the morning can only reassure him.
