Comforting a Crying Child at School Drop-Off

It’s not an unknown fact that someday or the other, your child will have to go to school. Whether it be his or her preschool years or years of middle and high school, each comes with its bag of surprises and mixed experiences. Every human being when faced with a new experience or challenge is at first afraid. Similarly, kids too tend to go through that same fear when entering the school gates for the very first time. In almost all cases, you will notice the universal cry of kids for their parents as their parents drop them off at school.

A child crying going to school is something natural and if you’re new to parenthood, it could be a very sentimental and scary thing for you too. However, take comfort in the fact that when the kids are at school, they have a wonderful and fulfilling day with their friends, under the supervision and guidance of their teachers. Since children look at their parents as protectors, it’s not natural for them to cry when they are forced to leave their parents’ hands at the school gates. Separation anxiety and the fear of being alone are two of the primary reasons why one sees a child crying when going to school. However, it isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning of the educational journey in the life of a child. If you’ve been worried about why your child has been crying when going to school or how to stop a child from crying at school drop-off, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few tried and tested techniques for comforting a child at school drop-off to prevent crying.

Ways To Comfort A Child When Dropping Off At School

Prepare them at home and on the way to school- Since the first time your kid goes to school can be a fearful experience, speak to your child beforehand to prepare his or her mind for what is to come. In this way, the child slowly becomes mentally prepared for what lies ahead. Once your child does attend school classes, get feedback from your little one. Find out what made them cry. What may sound silly to you, may be a serious problem for your little one. The crying may result from their bags being too heavy, them not having friends, or just feeling left out and lonely. Once you identify their vulnerability and remedy it, you will start to notice a positive change in the behaviour of your little one towards going to school. On the way to school, try reassuring your child that you will be waiting for him or her at the school gate once school is over.

Don’t leave them in tears- Leaving them in tears is leaving them vulnerable in what is an entirely new space for them. It affects their psychological setup and results in them refusing to learn at school. Try to change their mood before they enter the school gates. You can easily do this by hugging them or kissing them on the cheek. Pique their curiosity for learning and get them excited about their classes. These few tips can go a long way in preventing them from bursting into tears.

Avoiding scolding and bribing- While this may seem like a viable short-term solution, it is counter-productive. Scolding them for being afraid is disregarding their emotions while bribing them is teaching them bad behaviour. Bribing your kids with chocolates will make them want to go to school for the wrong reasons. Your child should learn that going to school must arise out of a desire to know more and not simply to get more treats.

Give them a family picture- Keep a family photograph in his or her bag so when your kid misses you, he or she can take comfort in that photograph. It’s a simple method of reassuring, comforting and letting your child know that they are not alone. To an extent, it makes them feel like they are carrying you wherever they go.

Have a secret handshake- This is a good method of distracting your kids when dropping them off at school. A few snaps of the fingers, coupled with a sequence of hand movements can form the secret handshake that you and your little one share. Apart from preventing them from crying, it will also improve and strengthen the bonds between parent and child.

Find a suitable time- This may sound a little silly, but it works wonders. Sometimes when kids see other kids crying, they also begin to cry. Wait at the school gate till the coast is clear or till your child recognises familiar faces. Carefully observe your child walking into school to see whether he or she begins to cry or runs happily into the classroom.

Avoid negative conversations with parents- This could involve talking about the school and its poor management or even about how your child isn’t being able to cope well. Refrain from saying any of this in front of your child. It will result in negative behaviour and hinder the overall development of your little one.

Let them sleep well- Since school usually begins early in the morning, it’s only natural for kids to want to sleep longer. Ensure that your kids are getting enough rest when they come home so they can focus on their homework and be physically and mentally prepared for the next day. Oftentimes kids cry when going to school because they are still tired or extremely sleepy.

Speak to the teachers- Your child spends a good part of his or her day at school and teachers will be able to give you some insight regarding your little ones. Believe it or not but teachers can help calm your child in a manner that you never knew was possible. Together with the help of the teachers, formulate strategies on how to comfort a crying child to help them get out of the habit of crying when dropped off at school.

If you want to learn more about how to comfort a crying child, EuroKids has all you need. Apart from formulating a preschool curriculum, we focus on breaking such behaviour by identifying the cause of such behaviour and remedying it. Here at EuroKids, our team of experts will help you understand how to strategically deal with a child that begins to cry when being dropped off at school. To know more about child behaviour and what’s best for your toddlers, visit us at our blog.