Kids hate transitions more than the actual school day. They're living in the moment while you're already thinking ahead, so the shift from home or the car to the classroom feels jarring and scary. The goodbye itself, not what comes after, is what breaks them.
The second reason that kids resist going to school: they don't like transitions. Moving from one activity to another throws them. We have anticipated the day, we're one step ahead in our thought process, and our kids live in the moment. So for them, they're living in the moment of being cozy at home or even in the car, and they really struggle with getting— the idea of getting out of the door. Leaving the car or saying goodbye to us at the school gate. Many children experience anxiety about being separated from their parents, which can be particularly intense during the morning drop-off. They get a wave of emotion at the idea of being apart from us. It becomes overwhelming to them.
