School health tips: Johns Hopkins All Children Hospital experts share guidance

First Day of School Feelings? Yeah, It’s A Lot.
One kid practically sprints through the front doors. The other is gripping your arm like you’re abandoning her in the wilderness. Same parent. Same morning. Completely different experiences — and honestly? Same.

Back-to-school season hits different when your kids hit it differently. One minute you’re holding back tears of pride, the next you’re texting your mom group “SOS, she won’t let go of my leg.”

Here’s what child experts want Denver parents to know: both reactions are completely normal. Your job isn’t to fix the anxiety — it’s to listen without accidentally making it worse. (So maybe skip the “but school is SO fun!” pep talk at drop-off.)

A few things that actually help:

Set expectations early. Talk through the day before the day.

Build a routine now. Bedtimes, backpack spots, morning schedules — future you will be grateful.

Validate the feelings. Nervous is okay. Scared is okay. Refusing to get out of the car… we’ll work on that.

Get professional support if anxiety seems bigger than first-day jitters.

And hey — don’t forget about you in all of this. Drop-off emotions are real, mama. Grab a coffee. Take a breath. You’ve got this.