Has your child been throwing fits during pick-up at school? We know it’s hard to deal with the battle after your long workday. We are here to tell you that pick-ups can be emotional for many reasons. Your child may be tired, and a natural reaction when they see you is to let you know about it by having a breakdown. Sometimes, acting out can also be a way to test the situation because your child is curious, or your child may just be having so much fun and want to stay for a while more.

Tough pick-ups happen to everyone at some point here in Choo Choo Train. It happens to some families who just joined, it happens to some families whose child just transitioned into a new class, and it happens to some families whose child are simply growing their emotional capability. Although the school has a goodbye routine, this is something that parents have to work on. We will share with you some of the creative ways we have witnessed parents make their pick-ups a smoother process.

One kid was struggling with his transition and got into a phase where he would throw the toys he had in his hands when his father came to pick him up. What worked for the kid is that his father gave him time to finish whatever he was doing or playing, allowed him to say goodbye to his friends, and lured him with snacks on the way out.

One kid refused to leave her classroom so her mother developed a special pick-up routine for her. She acknowledged the struggle by talking it over with her little one, “I noticed you’re not happy to leave school, how about we do something every time mommy comes to make you feel better?” and she gave options for her child to choose from, “do you want to draw a smiley face for your teacher and friends or do you want to sing the goodbye song?” She chose to sing and this is the song they sing every day.

One father talked about who they will see and what they are going to do at home. He would say, “let’s go home to play with mommy!” His daughter’s face would light up every time. She also had her lovie to hold in the car until they reach home.

One mother set aside a dedicated mommy-son time as soon as they are home after pick-up. They would sit and colour, read a book, or simply snuggle on the couch and talk about their day. It became a special time he looked forward to and it made leaving the school an easier process for them.

We hope one of these has inspired you to try something to ease your own pick-up stress. We’re also available on 0126682532 if you need any help.