16 Jan 2026
Settling your child into school: what helps in the first weeks
The first few weeks of school, or a new school year, can unsettle even a generally confident child. A predictable goodbye routine, however brief, tends to help far more than a long, drawn-out one.
Talking through what the day will look like in simple terms, and resisting the urge to over-explain or over-promise, also helps set realistic expectations. Most unease settles within the first couple of weeks as routine takes over.
If your child continues to find it difficult beyond that, it’s always worth having a direct conversation with their teacher, who sees the day-to-day picture.