Easing Preschool Drop Off

Saying goodbye can be tough, for both parents and kiddos. Whether your kids are starting their first day at preschool or even just going back to school after a long holiday break, preschool drop off can be a source of stress, frustration, and tears. Although it is totally normal and even expected, we’ve got some great tips from the teachers at UCCC Preschool with strategies that may help ease those transitions and separation anxiety. 

There is nothing quite like the bond between parents and their children. The fierce love and attachment a parent feels for their child and vice versa is a unique connection that can sometimes feel disconnected when it’s time to part ways when school starts. The goal of easing separation anxiety is to help your child feel safe and secure in their new environment so they can grow in their development and reach some new levels of independence. 

So what is the best way to do this? Develop a good relationship with your child’s teacher! 

When a child sees a strong teacher/parent connection built on trust, friendliness, and partnership, many fears and anxieties can be eased and space for learning, playing, and a sense of security can grow. The teacher becomes a trusted, caring adult in your child’s life and a wonderful relationship begins to build, which can make the transition from home to school that much easier. As teachers at UCCC preschool, we are fortunate that we are a cooperative school, so parent involvement is already built in a variety of ways. This type of involvement not only keeps you informed of your child’s day-to-day experiences, but allows you to get to know your child’s teacher, classmates and the other families in the program. These bonds all strengthen your family’s experience with the school, and builds your child’s trust that this is a safe and comfortable place to be, with people that are familiar and committed to their success. 

Have a visiting day at school. In addition to seeing their new school during an open house or tour, we start our first week of school with a shortened “visiting day” at UCCC. Parents get to stay and help their child explore the classroom and meet their new friends on the first day, which can really help ease the transition into a new school year! Ask your school if a visiting day would be available for your child.

Bring a family photo or a small photo album of pictures of family, friends and pets. On tough days, it can be nice for your child to take a break and share their family photo with their teacher or friends. 

Have a special job for them at school. Our students love finding out which special job they have for the school day. From line leader to snack helper, the kids look forwarding to helping and take a sense of pride in starting their day! If your class doesn’t already have special jobs, ask your teacher if your child could be responsible for something each day that they can look forward to. 

If possible, starting your day on the playground can help. Our younger students in the ¾ class start their day on the playground, they are usually so excited to head to the slide or the climbing structures, saying goodbye goes so much quicker and really helps make for a smooth transition.

Tell Them the Plan. In addition to setting expectations (“mom will walk you into school, we will find your cubby, give big hugs”) talk about what they’ll be learning and doing during their day. If your teacher sends out a curriculum calendar, talk about what is on the next day’s agenda. Do they want to play with the sensory bin or the puzzles first? Will they have a special job at school? Which song do they think they’ll sing at circle time? 

Communicate with the Teacher. You know your child best. If a quick hand off is best, or if you want to stay for a few minutes and gradually start the day, let the teacher know so you are both on the same page. Keeping your teacher in the loop on big changes, exciting events at home, or even just a night of rough sleep can also help your teacher prepare and respond in a way that will be the most helpful for your family. 

Acknowledge Their Feelings. When a child expresses they miss mom or dad, we often say “I hear you and see you. It’s okay to feel sad and also have a fun day at school. Should we make them a card telling them how you feel?”  Being told it’s okay to have these feelings of sadness or missing something is very empowering and important work. 

All children and families are unique in their comfort levels with being apart, and it’s natural to have anxiety over the unknowns that come with starting preschool. The hope is that you will find a program where you feel comfortable letting another adult care for and love your preschooler in your absence. A co-op style program can be a great place to start your child’s preschool journey so they can ease into the experience with you and other classmates’ family members by their side, all while growing their independence, sense of security, and trust so that the joy of learning can shine! 

If you would like to learn more about our cooperative preschool, we would love to invite you for a visit! UCCC Preschool is currently enrolling. You can learn more about our program by visiting our website, or schedule a tour here.