Goodbye Rituals at School Drop off

Saying goodbye to our family is hard, the children will miss you and you will miss them! Conscious Discipline teaches us that goodbye rituals are an important tool for connection and helps our children have consistent routines to set them up for a successful day of school. It can take upwards of 6-8 weeks for children to adjust to the routine of going to school and saying goodbye to their parents and it looks different for every child.

When children are getting dropped off and they are having a tough time saying goodbye- they are trying to communicate “Am I safe?” Being their safe person, the state you are in directly regulates the state your child is in. Creating a predictable routine helps children feel safe. Goodbye rituals will look different for every child. Here are some examples.

• Creating a visual with the drops off routine
  • Example: Taking pictures, printing, laminating and turning into cards

1. Put your lunch box away
2. Put your water away
3. Wash your hands
4. I love you ritual with mom or dad
5. Hug mom or dad goodbye
6. Mom or dad leaves
7. Go to your teacher for your greeting

• As a point of connection choose a form of saying goodbye so that your child gets a choice and can get excited about it, below find a free printable with some loving goodbye options!