3–5 · 6–8 · 9–12
Helping a shy child join in
How to support a shy or slow-to-warm child at parties, play and school without pushing them on stage or labelling them.
Topic
School and social development
School systems differ between countries. The feelings underneath a first day, a left-out child, or a difficult goodbye are more shared. These pages say which is which.
0–2 · 3–5 · 6–8
When drop-off is hard
What to do when a child cries at nursery, preschool or school drop-off, including short goodbyes and when to ask for more help.
3–5 · 6–8
Starting school: what actually differs by country
A shared guide to the feelings of starting school, and where England, the United States and Canada genuinely use different systems.
3–5
Starting reception in England
What parents in England need to know about reception: usual start age, compulsory school age, summer-born options, and the first weeks.
3–5 · 6–8
Starting kindergarten in the United States
Why US kindergarten start dates differ by state and district, and how parents can prepare without chasing a single national age.
3–5 · 6–8
Kindergarten across Canada
How kindergarten differs across Canada, what Ontario publishes about its two-year programme, and how to prepare without assuming one national age.
More school and social development questions are on the editorial roadmap. They are not published until a full guide exists. There are 6 guides here so far.