We all remember it: that fearful first day of school, the discomfort of each shaking step closer to the classroom, the unfamiliar teacher’s looming face. It's normal for children to experience anxiety as they prepare for the first day of a new school year, but that doesn't mean it can't be prevented.

Dr. Daisy Pellant, a child psychologist and licensed Minnesota school counselor who has worked with children for more 20 years, says that the most important thing for parents is to accept that school-related anxiety is normal.

“Every school year can bring anxiety for a child, even if they’ve been at the same school for five or six years,” said Pellant.

She recommends that parents pay close attention to their children’s emotions, even if there is no apparent reason for stress. Anxiety could be “over something that occurred last year that was challenging, or it might be about changes they’ve had over the summer. What you as a parent perceive as transition may not be the same as what your child perceives.”

If you wait until the eve of the new school year to address this problem, chances are a child's anxiety about returning to school will reach toxic levels. Tackle the issue before it becomes debilitating. If you notice your child is feeling nervous over the summer, sit down and talk about it early. And be specific -- anyone who's ever felt that fearful anticipation knows a pat on the back and a casual "don't worry about it!" do nothing to help. Ask your child to share exactly what he or she is worried about.

Pellant says going on one-on-one ‘dates’ with your child, allowing silence in conversation, or even sitting side-by-side instead of face-to-face, can help a child work up the courage to share a difficult feeling.

Once you've got your son or daughter talking, try using a real-life story as comfort. It may feel like eons ago that you were in elementary school, but school-related anxiety just happens to be a timeless struggle. Pellant advised parents to “share your own experience, but judicially … don’t invalidate your child’s experience by making it about you.” Let your child know that you can identify with the feeling instead of brushing it off as a passing phase. If the worried youngster has a sensitive older sibling, they might also help assuage fears.

Another way to help your child gradually adjust to the upcoming school year is to familiarize him or her with the environment. Enrolling children in a summer program that caters to specific interests like sports or arts, making contact with other children in the same class, or even touring classrooms before the start of the year can be helpful in relieving stress with the onset of another school year. Also try getting into the school routine a week before the big day, so your child can get used to the new sleep schedule.

If your child is starting kindergarten this year, the root of the problem could be separation anxiety. The best thing to do in this case is to maintain some degree of consistency in this time of change. Try to keep a reliable schedule with your child, and keep any promises you've made in the past, like picking up from school or returning home from work well before bedtime. Set out shoes, clothes, and backpacks ahead of time to ensure a calm morning.

For children of any age experiencing school-related or separation anxiety, a little token or a note in their backpack can be a great comfort. According to Pellant, children benefit from a “physical reminder of your presence.” She suggests drawing “a tiny heart on the their wrist, and then any time your child feels insecure or lonely they can touch the heart and it’s like you’re giving them a kiss or a hug.”

Pellant says parents must be prepared for ups and downs, and should always be on the lookout for hidden anxiety, even if the child appears happy while at school.

“When in doubt, sign children up for a session with a school counselor or an external counselor,” she said, especially if children exhibit “over a month of changes in sleeping or eating, obsessive or repetitive behaviors, or changes in how much they want to socialize.”