Why does my daughter whine in the morning about going to school and then once she gets there has such a wonderful time she doesn’t want to go home again?  - Belinda of San Carlos

Transitions are a tricky thing for children to navigate.  Some are eager to switch gears and proceed to the next adventure.  Others handle change with more difficulty. When a child is comfortable in one setting and is engrossed in a familiar activity it can be awkward to leave that scenario.

It could be a fear issue, it could be an ‘I’m enjoying myself right now, don’t make me change’ issue, it could be a ‘prior incident at school with a peer that the child is unwilling to face’ issue, or it could just be an ‘I want to stay close to Mommy’ issue. No matter how you cut it, it's a transition issue.

One of the best ways to help your child is by giving him ample warning about any change that is going to occur and to talk about what the next activity will entail. Tying in the two environments like this can help your child transition.

Teachers who recognize a child who might have difficulty transitioning from one activity to the next can use similar tactics. Singing a song, making a rhythm with hand claps, or creating a dramatic moment can help children flow from one activity to the next.

Parents and teachers have to be observant of children's moods so we can apply creativity and cleverness to make changes comfortable. Change has to occur; we can make it easier. It is never a good idea to let children dictate our actions by refusing to follow through on a commitment such as schooling.

My child insists on bringing a toy from home to his school environment and inevitably loses it when it’s pick up time. It’s driving me crazy to have to find it before we can go home.  - Mark of Belmont

Some schools have a “no toys from home” policy just so they can avoid this predicament. However, I personally feel that this is not the best solution. Toys from home are transitional items that help combine the two environments and make children feel more comfortable. Even more importantly these toys can help with “social integration.”

For young children (2-3 years), bringing a personal item to school can help them feel at home and make it easier to navigate this new social network – school. Children love to describe their toys – colors, names, how it became theirs, etc. They develop important verbalization and sharing skills.

Slightly older children (4-5 years) can also benefit from bringing toys to school. It helps them socially because the child who brought the toy lets other children play with it while remaining in a supervisory position to help others. What a terrific way to build teamwork and cooperation among peers.

That being said, it is crucial to establish guidelines for “home” toys. The toy could get dirty, broken, or lost, all consequences that the child must understand. Bringing a toy from home should always be the child’s ultimate choice and responsibility.

The school also needs to establish “home” toy rules. When are “home” toys acceptable? When does a toy need to reside in the cubby? Who is responsible for the toy? What situations will force the toy to be placed in time out?

Setting up strict guidelines will avoid jealousy issues and mean that the toys are easy to find at pick-up time.

I’ve observed that my 3-year-old doesn’t like to participate in the physical activities that go on at school.  Why is that?  - Chris of Mountain View

Have you noticed that some children are not yet comfortable in their bodies and are very cautious in their approach to physical activities while others fling themselves recklessly about without a care?

Obviously we are all born with different temperaments. On top of that, we all mature at different rates. This is what makes each of us unique.

Help a carefree child avoid scrapes and breaks by working on control issues. Help a cautious child by working on body awareness and confidence. Your particular child might be held back by a fear of falling, or a fear of failure to perform. Then again, your child might just not enjoy physical activity, preferring to draw or read books.

Whatever the issue, being physically active is important for our health. Check out our new column “POP Up and Move” for ways to get your child moving. If your child enjoys the activities you might want to show it to your child's teacher!