"His adjustment period isn’t just for the first day — it is also the weeks after as he realises that this is a daily event and he needs to settle into a new routine where there are more demands on him."

"Not all schools have adequate physical space to enable children to engage in physical activity during school hours, so we tend to rely on extra-curricular activities to ensure children are getting enough movement."

'My three-year-old son gets upset every time I have to run to the bathroom or need to lie down'

Establishing a routine is one challenge; sustaining it is quite another

Being shy and unhappy are two different things

Am I fighting a losing battle?

Your baby is still developing 'people permanence', or an understanding that people still exist even when we do not see them. So it is good for your daughter to experience these mini yet gradually increasing separations from you while building a connection with your childminder

"When they play alone for even short bursts of time, they may need us to leave their favourite toys or books within reach or set them up with blocks before we can step away."

"Feeling cold when outdoors without adequate clothing or when it is especially cold outside is a normal sensory response but feeling cold all of the time or when indoors (once the space is adequately heated) can indicate an intolerance to cold or a temperature sensitivity."

"You cannot do much more than you already are to prepare your son, or yourself, for the change that is coming. You have clearly told him enough to keep him excited."