The prospect of a new school year is exciting for many students, but it can be daunting for some either going to a new school or just switching buildings.
There are ways parents can ease that transition for their child. Doctors recommend getting kids familiar with their new school a couple week before classes start. Psychologist Dr. Natalie Moser says this is one of the more common issues she works on with kids and their families. Moser says a new school is a blank slate for children and can create a lot of anxiety since they don't know what to expect.
Moser says parents should try to take their children to see their school and if possible, go into their classroom and meet their teacher.
"The more that you do that, the more familiar the building becomes, the less anxiety the child may feel," Moser explained. "Sometimes that's challenging so another idea is to just provide children with a lot of exposure to the space outside the building."
Moser says that can involve driving by the building, walking around outside and showing children places like where drop-off and pick-up will be.
Many local schools will offer meet and greets over the next couple weeks, letting students of all grade levels come in and see their classroom and meet some of their teachers.
