February’s blog topic is all about social relationships. Most of the time, children are with familiar faces and that helps them feel comfortable. School will have lots of new, unfamiliar people and this can create stress for little ones. To help them cope, try a little practice in various different groups. For young toddlers, there may be programs in your area for parents and kids together. Children get to practice meeting new people while still having the security of parents or caregivers. Later, there may be some facilities where older toddlers can go on their own for short periods of time. If children have been at the same daycare since they were very young, they may be quite comfortable. Some time to practice in a new setting may still be helpful. A few possibilities might be a story-time at the library, a community playgroup, a parks and recreation or city program. Coping in groups is part of kindergarten readiness and like many other skills, practice beforehand helps. Does this work for you?