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12 Fredericksburg Parent and Family •August 2018 My mom always tells me she was a mess after my first day of kindergarten drop-off—she had to go out to breakfast and cry. While it wasn't a big deal for me, some kids do experi- ence anxiety over heading to school for their first day of kinder- garten, and it's entirely normal. Letting go of your child's hand on the first day of their school journey might be difficult for you and for them, but it's the first step toward letting them fly on their own, and it's an important milestone. Here are some real- mom tips to make it easier on both of you. Steph Dalrymple, mom of one, suggests visiting the inside of the school sometime before the first day. Don't skip the Kindergarten Roundup many schools have these days, created just for the purpose of getting kids famil- iar with the school, classroom, teachers and other kids. Also, "Go and play at the school play- ground a few times over the summer. It helps make it seem fun and familiar! Let them take ownership of 'their' school," offers mom Shari Medini. Discover other kids in the neighborhood for your kid to meet before school starts. Otherwise, talk about what it's going to be like to make new friends at school and what it means to be a good friend. Kindergartner's WRITTEN BY KERRIE MCLOUGHLIN 9 TIPS to Prepare for Your Separation Anxiety 1 VISIT THE SCHOOL 2 FIND SOME FRIENDS fi nd some friends