The time comes in every parent’s life, whether you’re employed, self-employed, or unemployed, when you must release your firm grasp on the little one and watch him/her begin to exercise their autonomy and enhance their social skills. This era is called starting school (be it preschool, nursery school, or elementary school). If you’re anything like me, this time period could prove to be a difficult transition for you, the child, or even both of you. In my case the transition was one we both had to adapt to.

As a fulltime case manager and a self-employed business owner, I decided it was time for my 20 month old to go to nursery school, a place where I can drop him off early in the morning, have a family member pick him up on the evenings when I must work later, and feel confident that my son is learning the social skills appropriate for his age group. On the first day of school, I prepped my son, letting him know what a big boy he was for starting school. I left him in the hands of the a.m. teacher and quickly walked away before he could follow me. As I exited the school my chest tightened, my breathing became uneven, my eyes got teary, and my hands began to tremble. I was panicking over leaving my only child in an unfamiliar place. Needless to say, that was one of the longest days I’ve ever had to endure! In retrospect, I realize that there are several things parents like myself can do to alleviate the stress that starting / going to school can bring. For this reason I have come up with: Five Simple Wayz to Easy School Dayz: (more…)