Just to say, I agree with all the recommendations re 'Starting School' by the Ahlbergs and also suggest 'I Am Too Absolutely Small for School' by Lauren Child. You might like to read the reviews for both books on Amazon - both get lots of recommendations.

Just to add - my dhworks works shifts. When my ds started school he asked when he would have to do "nights". It is amazing what goes through there little heads at this time!

My ds was a bit like this when he was due to start. I think you are right - it is so overwelming. We all got through it, and came out the other end fine - and I am sure you and your ds will too.

I tried to ease off mentioning about school through the summer holidays and just concerntrated on relaxing and having a good time. This seemed to take some of the pressure off.

harry and his bucket full of dinosaurs has a first day at school book as well, it is really good.

What I would add to everyone else is that last year (new to reception) DS's class of 24 had 5 or 6 who were sad every morning for the first week - none of them were upset when the parents came to get them, and within the first half term they were all running into the class room happily every morning.

Good luck and enjoy!!

They will all be fine.

The teachers are well used to settling nervous children - far better than than parents of the child!

At our primary school, they don't start all 30 at once so it's less overwhelming.

My dd wouldn't let me go at her induction on Friday. The parents were supposed to go to a talk with the headteacher for 30 minutes but she clung on to me and begged me to stay, so dh had to go on his own. There was only one other child who did the same. I think that the other children were ok because 12 of them (out of 20) have siblings at the school so are already familiar with the place and, from what I could make out, at least half of them go to the local pre-school together so they were with other children that they know. Dd's not very confident and is a real mummy's girl. I keep trying to reassure her that it will be ok and she will make friends quickly but I can imagine that she will be taken away from me crying at least on her first day

Hi, I can sympathise, my ds had his induction last week. He sobbed and howled on the way in, I stayed with him for the first half hour but then left him for the second half (the Reception teacher let my ultra-confident 3 year old dd stay with him though, she was busy chatting to all his classmates and playing with the toys).

He was fine on his own apparently, but when I went back in (it was an hour in total), he dissolved into hysterical sobs whilst all the other children sat in a circle (including dd) singing songs and listening to a story. Ds lay under the table with tears rolling down his face screaming "Take me home, I HATE it".

His teacher actually came to his preschool the following day (he's the only one going to the school from his nursery) and spent about half an hour with him and he was very happy, very pleased, she said what a delightful child he was and he has been chatting about her, and school non-stop ever since.

So, I think he was very overwhelmed and he is quite a reserved child. I'm sure that he'll be a bit upset on his first day, but they've said he can start first with the summer borns (he's a Nov baby), so there will only be 8-9 in his class to begin with.

I'm sure he will settle quickly though, I think I will try and get that book though, it sounds good !!

Helen xxx

Do talk to him, but be a bit wary of overdoing it. It's a long time till September and you might need to back off a bit and let him relax.

My first daughter got really stressed in the run-up to starting school. Once she was actually there, she was fine.

We realised (too late) that there had been so much talking about "big school", for weeks on end, that she had got a bit over-anxious. She was also under the impression that all the other children would be bigger than her - because everyone kept saying things like "oh, she can't possibly be going to school yet, she's so young"... And she believed them! She was very relieved when I eventually twigged that was the problem and told her all the other children in her class were 4 as well!

My ds hid under the table at induction day and refused to speak to the teacher. He was fine when the term started.

You know avenging my dd thought the same- she actually thought she was going to live at school once she started (didn't stop her looking forward to it though )