Dear Miss School Manners:
My 3-year-old daughter Hortensia Jean (no, that’s not her real name) is starting preschool this fall, and I’m not sure how to prepare her for that scary first day. Can she take her teddy bear? What if she cries? What if she hates it??
Signed, Anxious in Alamo

Dear Anxious:
The start of preschool is an emotional, anxious time for every new parent. We remember it well … the heartwrenching tears, the stomach aches, the night sweats. Ours, of course. The kids did just fine. But before we chime in with our opinion and ask readers to share their tips – which we’ll do in a moment – we’ll gather some advice from a couple of experts, Ellen Birnbaum and Nancy Schulman, directors of Manhattan’s tony 92nd Street Y Nursery School and authors of the new “Practical Wisdom for Parents: Demystifying the Preschool Years.” (They’ll be speaking at A Great Good Place for Books (6120 LaSalle Ave., Montclair, 510-339-8210) on August 16 at 7 p.m., if you want to continue the conversation.)

First, says Birnbaum, relax. Don’t obsess for months on end. But a week or two before school starts…

(Read more after the jump. Or send your parenting or school-related question direct to Miss School Manners now.)

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Is your 5-year-old dreading his first day of kindergarten? Are you looking for ways to ease your child back into a school bedtime routine? Does your child have difficulty making new friends at school?

Miss School Manners is here to help. Write and tell us your problem or question. We’ll offer some suggestions. When an issue calls for an extra helping hand, we’ll consult the experts and ask readers to chime in. No one should have to navigate those school-time quandaries alone. We’ll be here all school-year long, during summer school, too.

Just send us an e-mail and we’ll post a response as quick as possible.