Saying good-bye is hard for many children and parents, no matter how old they are. Developing routines for separating and reconnecting helps children learn how to handle their feelings about saying good-bye, which helps prepare them to cope with changes and transitions throughout life.

It’s been hard to read and watch the news lately. Three mass shootings within one week. Migrant children in detention camps. Families torn apart after immigration raids. With each “new” story, we feel sad, angry, and heavy with worry. We worry about the safety of our children when mass shootings occur in public places without warning. We worry about what children of undocumented immigrants must feel, not knowing if they’ll see their parents again, or living in constant fear of being separated from their families. Traumatic events like these create emotional scars that last a lifetime, long after the media has moved on to the next big story.

Even children who love school can have a hard time transitioning from summertime to schooltime. Taking small steps now to prepare children for the transition will help them enjoy what’s left of the summer and be ready to start the new school year with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn.