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How do I get my children to go to school when they want to stay home with their younger siblings?

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How do I get my children to go to school when they want to stay home with their younger siblings?

It is a really fun age from three to five and managing that drop off while the three year old gets to stay home with mom can tug at the heart strings of the five-year old that has to go to school. The five-year old is probably thinking about all the fun the three year old is going to get to have with mom. I think initially it would be helpful, if it's possible, to allow the three year old to go with the five-year old and you and walk into school and sort of make the sendoff very positive. Also, talk about some of the fun things you're gonna do when the five-year old returns home. The five-year can think, “Okay, I'm doing my school thing and when I'm done I get to come home and have fun with mom just like my sibling." I think there are ways to make that transition more positive.

I would also talk with the five-year old about how great it is they are going to school and how special that is and how big they're getting and maybe even tie in the school experience with some additional privileges that they may get at home. For example, maybe now that they are a big kid, their bed time is a little bit later than the three year old. I would look for some additional privileges that you can tie into how special it is that they're going to school now and that they're a big kid and make that a big deal.

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