My child was screaming and kicking today for her 1st day of K. She really didn't want to stay. She's been in daycare and pre-school since she was 2 so I'm not sure why she developed this new separation anxiety but the teachers had to physically hold her in the classroom as she was trying to escape. Any tips from parents who've experienced this before?


drop them off quickly, say good bye and don't linger. they are usually fine within 5 min of you leaving. the longer you stick around the worse it is for everyone. You can try explaining that it is ok to be nervous and that everyone is nervous when they go to a new place. I do sympathize thought. It is so hard to leave them when they are like that. We went through this when my son entered pre-school and even at 5 he still gets this way when we leave him with a new sitter. He was fine at k drop off today, fingers crossed he has a good day.

That's what I try to do, I try to leave quickly but her dad doesn't have the heart to so he stays and tries to calm her down which I think makes it worse as she still cries when he leaves. I talked to her last night and this morning about it, but she still didn't want to stay once we got in school. I guess what I don't understand is if this is normal behavior for a child who used to go to preschool without any issues. Albeit, she didn't go to preschool this summer as she was traveling but still, it seems like she had a lot of anxiety about starting K and kept saying she didn't want to go or wanted me to stay in the classroom with her.

Anonymous wrote:

For the life of me, I can't understand why classroom desks are set up in these ridiculous "groupings". And the teachers then get mad when the kids are talking - yet there's another student right in their face and directly on either side! Why haven't they gone back to seating in orderly rows, everyone facing forward, with space between each desk? So much nonsense in today's classrooms.

The answer is SPACE!

Anonymous wrote:

My child was screaming and kicking today for her 1st day of K. She really didn't want to stay. She's been in daycare and pre-school since she was 2 so I'm not sure why she developed this new separation anxiety but the teachers had to physically hold her in the classroom as she was trying to escape. Any tips from parents who've experienced this before?


drop them off quickly, say good bye and don't linger. they are usually fine within 5 min of you leaving. the longer you stick around the worse it is for everyone. You can try explaining that it is ok to be nervous and that everyone is nervous when they go to a new place. I do sympathize thought. It is so hard to leave them when they are like that. We went through this when my son entered pre-school and even at 5 he still gets this way when we leave him with a new sitter. He was fine at k drop off today, fingers crossed he has a good day.

That's what I try to do, I try to leave quickly but her dad doesn't have the heart to so he stays and tries to calm her down which I think makes it worse as she still cries when he leaves. I talked to her last night and this morning about it, but she still didn't want to stay once we got in school. I guess what I don't understand is if this is normal behavior for a child who used to go to preschool without any issues. Albeit, she didn't go to preschool this summer as she was traveling but still, it seems like she had a lot of anxiety about starting K and kept saying she didn't want to go or wanted me to stay in the classroom with her.

PERFECTLY normal. I taught K. Had one boy who cried every morning until Mom walked out the door. First day, he even threw up--but was great as soon as parents were gone.

Anonymous wrote:So far, so good! I heard from another parent that my younger child's teacher is THE BEST! Unfortunately, my older child's desk is facing into the one kid in the entire grade that she dislikes! Their desks are literally touching. He's been a pain in the butt to her before (teasing her -- I think he may secretly like her). But, she tries to avoid him when she sees him... and now his face is like 3 feet away from hers! I'm sure there will be some complaints about that. The school is VERY hot right now -- apparently they were trying to save $ by turning off the A/C over the hot weekend. Very stuffy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So far, so good! I heard from another parent that my younger child's teacher is THE BEST! Unfortunately, my older child's desk is facing into the one kid in the entire grade that she dislikes! Their desks are literally touching. He's been a pain in the butt to her before (teasing her -- I think he may secretly like her). But, she tries to avoid him when she sees him... and now his face is like 3 feet away from hers! I'm sure there will be some complaints about that. The school is VERY hot right now -- apparently they were trying to save $ by turning off the A/C over the hot weekend. Very stuffy.

Our A/C was broken the first day - it was up to 80 in the classrooms. Kids had a good day even with that, but said they were hot!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For the life of me, I can't understand why classroom desks are set up in these ridiculous "groupings". And the teachers then get mad when the kids are talking - yet there's another student right in their face and directly on either side! Why haven't they gone back to seating in orderly rows, everyone facing forward, with space between each desk? So much nonsense in today's classrooms.

The answer is SPACE!

Not in our elementary school. The classrooms are very spacious, and yet the desks are all clustered in the middle. Makes no sense.

Anonymous wrote:What is the clip chart or stoplight chart? A paper showing the kid ignored warnings and had poor behavior? Do they do that in Arlington too? Mom to kindergartener here.