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But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

What If You’re Scared To Start School?

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

Vermont Public

Nature, Language, Kids & Family, Science

4.44.9K Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2021

⏱️ 26 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Five-year-old Odin in Wyoming is about to start school and he sent us this question: If I’m terrified about kindergarten do I have to go? What should I do if I’m scared? What if kids are mean to me? In this episode, tips and suggestions from our listeners for kids returning to school, along with answers from guidance counselor Tosha Todd and National Teacher of the Year Juliana Urtubey.

Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Related Episodes: Why Do We Have To Go To School?

First day of school book recommendations from Tosha Todd

First Day Jitters

Night Before Kindergarten

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

The Kissing Hand

Back to school tips

Make a hug button! Draw a heart on the inside of your hand. Draw a heart on your parent’s hand. Squeeze them together to charge your hug button. If you feel nervous at school, push the hug button and it will send you a hug. - Tosha Todd, school guidance counselor

Keep a picture of your family in your backpack. You can share with your teacher the things your family does for fun. That will help your teacher understand your family. - Juliana Urtubey, National Teacher of the Year

If you're nervous try to have fun and try to make some friends and the school year will be a lot better.- Zoe, 10 Colorado

Remind yourself that you are brave and confident. - Clarissa, 8, Ontario

Get into a school routine now. Pick out your clothes the night before. Maybe pack your lunch too. - Tosha Todd

When I start school I feel nervous, but when I step in I feel ok. For the first few days I play by myself. When those first few days are done, I play with others. - Julius, 8, Ontario

Take a deep breath, be kind to someone and they'll be kind to you. - Zoe, 6, California

Get everyone's names and if you forget them it's ok to ask again. - Lucy, Vermont

Say hi to all the kids. - Ben, 6, Michigan

You're going to make friends, and your mom and dad will pick you up; they're not going to leave you there forever. - Sly, 7, New York

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hi, it's me, Jane.

0:03.4

One of the things we love about making but why is that we get to hear your voices in

0:07.6

the questions you send us.

0:09.6

From the plain old Goofy, my name is Winston, I'm eight.

0:15.4

To the very sweet, and I love you.

0:19.1

And so many of you close your messages out like this.

0:22.6

Bye, I love you, show.

0:24.6

We just want to say right back at you, we are thankful for our community of curious

0:29.0

kids around the world.

0:30.6

And adults who are listening, if you value this program, please consider sending some

0:34.8

love to Vermont Public in support of Bowie.

0:37.8

We are a nonprofit supported by our listeners.

0:41.0

You can make a gift today at BowieKids.org slash donate.

0:45.6

Thanks.

1:09.0

This is But Why, a podcast for curious kids from Vermont Public Radio.

1:13.4

I'm Jane Lindholm.

1:15.1

On this show, we take questions from kids just like you and we find answers.

1:19.4

Sometimes those answers come from experts and sometimes they come from other curious kids.

1:26.1

School is starting up again after a summer break for many of you, especially those of you

1:29.8

in the Northern Hemisphere.

1:31.6

And it may be your first time back in a classroom building in a long time.

1:35.8

Some of you in other parts of the world are in remote learning situations again and you

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