Children can have a variety of worries surrounding the school day (that's why this is a separate topic from the general "Dealing with Feelings"). If your child is worried about coming to school, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a wonderful book. Many families have used the routine of kissing their child's hand before school so children only need to hold their hand to their cheeks to remember their parents' love is always with them.
A difficult thing about worries is (as we social workers say) "anxiety begets anxiety." For example, if a child is nervous about coming to school because they're worried about getting sick at school (maybe they saw someone get sick), their worries actually make their stomach hurt. They can get stuck in a downward spiral: worrying about getting sick makes their stomach hurt more which makes them worry more. So it's important check their physical health (is there a stomach issue?) and to also give them strategies for dealing with their worries. Similarly, if a child is worried, sometimes that makes the parent worried (Are we doing enough? How else can we help?). The child senses the parent's worry and that escalates the child's worry, which escalates the parent's worry causing a similar downward spiral. If you're caught in this spiral, it's very helpful to use school staff as a positive intervention. We've had lots of experience with helping students calm and continuing with the routine of their school day.
Another crucial aspect of helping children deal with worries is making sure their basic needs are met. Sufficient sleep is crucial; structured bedtime routines help with this. Some students need calming activities to help them relax and get to sleep. Below I mention a few books on mindfulness and meditation that have helpful calming strategies. Also,make sure your child is eating good foods to help fuel their bodies so they can learn. Again, always make sure their physical health is okay. It's hard to manage worries when you actually have a medical issue.
Sometimes worries lead to school refusals. Here's a link to an article on school refusal, including ways parents can help.
And here are some other ways you can help: Children (and families) sometimes need something completely different to take them out of the spiral. Plans for this should be made when the child is not emotional. For example, talk with your child in the calm of a weekend, asking what you/they can do if those worries come up again. Write down plans or take pictures of what you've planned so, when the child becomes emotional, you can remember the plan. Below are things that I've found helpful:
* Social Interactions: Sometimes kids just need to get into the friend part of school and their worries fade. Help them remember this with pictures or a list of the things they enjoy during the school day.
* Music: Music can set your mood and change your feelings. Adding music to your school morning routine can calm or energize, depending on the music and what would best help you and your child. Personally, I like happy songs to get going and "Hakuna Matata" (from Lion King) is my all-time favorite. Can't sing it without smiling! Younger kids might enjoy Raffi's "Shake My Sillies Out," and you can substitute "worries" for "sillies." Older kids might like more current songs. My favorite is American Authors' "Best Day of My Life" (there's a great dog video for this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J4k32LhTNw ). These songs work for me but are just ideas to start you thinking. Perhaps you and your child will have fun finding songs to start your day and set your moods.
* Physical Activity: At school, a little activity is sometimes enough to change a students' mood. My favorite is balloon volleyball.
Below are books and websites I use as resources for dealing with worries, fears, and anxiety. I add resources as I learn about new things. Please let me know if you have things to recommend :)
Books:
"Calm Down Time" by Elizabeth Verdick A simple book on strategies to calm yourself.
"Cool Cats; Calm Kids: Relaxation & Stress Management for Young People" by Mary Williams
"What to Do When You Worry Too Much" by Dawn Huebner
"The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn A wonderful book about a young racoon who doesn't want to go to school.
"Wilma Jean the Worry Machine" by Julie Cook (she has a lot of wonderful books; see http://www.juliacookonline.com/)
"Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and their parents)" by Eline Snel
"Peaceful Piggy Meditation" by Kerry Lee Maclean
"The Handbook for Helping Kids with Anxiety & Stress" by Kim Frank
"What to Do When You're Scared and Worried" by James Crist
Websites:
http://www.pbisworld.com/ is a web page with LOTS of good links for different social work areas. Lots of different ideas for behavior interventions!
fact sheet from MACMH with anxiety information: http://www.macmh.org/publications/fact_sheets/Anxiety.pdf
http://booksthathealkids.blogspot.com/ Additional books on a variety of topics!
I'm very excited about the new 2nd Step social skills curriculum that I started using in the 2012-2013 school year. It has a wealth of age-appropriate information, skills, and activities to help kids develop skills for learning (cues for listening, focusing attention, etc.), skills for managing emotions, and problem-solving skills. I especially like the songs/dances/video clips for managing emotions! Here's the website, if you'd like more information on this program: http://www.cfchildren.org/second-step.aspx