Back to School!

My daughter clung to my leg like it was her life force. I took one awkward step, knowing I had to go, that by staying I was only making it harder for both of us, as the teacher pulled my three year old off my body. 

She was bawling. And by the time I got to the car, so was I. 

15 years ago, I had a velcro child, a shy and awkward, socially anxious little one. I was her safe place, no matter where we were and this led to traumatic preschool drop off moments like this one. 

It's back to school season. And these transitions can be so overwhelming for you and your children.

Whether you're sending your child to a full time daycare program, a preschool program or enrolling them in kindergarten, back to school is a time of massive transition.

It's the start of something new, all over again.

Even if your kiddo was there last year, it's still a brand new beginning with new faces, new voices, new personalities, and often new adults.

Navigating being independent, away from you, for a big portion of the day.

It’s hard because it comes from a place of social anxiety and overwhelm, making new friends, engaging appropriately with new people, and re-learning the social norms & constructs of the world.

In this post pandemic world, we are seeing a heightened level of social anxiety in our toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners. It's important that you know this learning transition takes time. 

You've got to trust it. You have to trust the people you're dropping your children off to and you need to trust your child to navigate this hard thing and get to the other side of it. 

It may take a few emotional weeks, but this is important work for them!

The real world has changed. And so the skills they need to navigate that real world and the importance we put on them have too. 

That’s why I curated a Back-to-School Mini Series on the podcast just for you! Including episodes on navigating school drop off and getting out the door on time. Check out the episodes below!

Need a little more support? My Pandemic Mom's School Readiness Mini-Course walks you through how to support our toddlers social and emotional needs as we prepare them for pre-school and beyond. 

Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed is mom to three girls, a Vermont based Early Childhood Educator, Collaborative Parenting Coach, and the founder of Core4Parenting. She is the passionate mastermind behind the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™, a birth-to-five, soul and science based framework that empowers toddler parents and educators  to turn tantrums into teachable moments. Through keynotes, teacher training, and her top-ranking podcast, Transforming the Toddler Years, she’s teaching the 5 Executive Functioning Skills kids need to navigate our ever-changing world.