The Weeks Before

• Talk about school with your child each day. Prepare him for school by telling him what to expect, what it will be like and what kinds of things he will do there. Call the school to learn who his teacher will be and consider introducing your child to the teacher and the classroom a week or so before the first day of school. Find out the typical schedule for a school day and go over it with your child every week so he'll know what to expect.
  
  

The Night Before

• Do everything you can to make preparation in the morning as minimal as possible such as lay out your child's clothes, prepare his lunch and get his backpack ready for school. Keep your nighttime routine the same and get to bed on time. Talk with your child about school the next day and tell him it's okay to feel nervous or excited. If he's sad or scared, tell him that life is about growing and changing and going to school is an important step in becoming a big person.
  
  Go over the schedule of what to expect with him again if he's anxious about it. After putting him to bed, take some time to prepare yourself for this change by journaling about your feelings or talking with a friend. Understand that this is a big event for you, too, and work through your feelings while apart from your child so you can be there the next day to support him and encourage.
  
  

The First Day

• If your child needs to ride a bus to school, plan plenty of time to arrive at the bus stop early. If you wish, let your child know that you will drive behind the bus on the first day to ease any anxiety he may have over parting from you. If you walk to school, walk with your child and use the time to talk about all of the fun changes he'll get to experience at school. Walk your child to his class and make sure he gets into his classroom okay. Wait by the door and wave goodbye. Once he finds his seat, leave.
  
  

The First Week

• If your child is struggling with separation anxiety, talk with his teacher about whether you can sit in on his class during the first week. The first day, sit in for a few hours. The next day, reduce the time to one hour. By the end of the week, aim to walk with your child to class, give a big hug, say hello to his teacher and then say goodbye to your child. Practice role playing saying goodbye at home and go over your child's class schedule everyday to help him develop the skill of separating from you in a healthy, calm way. Make sure you or another close family member or friend is waiting for him when class is over or at the bus stop those first few days so he sees a familiar face when school ends.