{"id":"cb4b237bffbf1835616e6f14e49c9d22","slug":"5yearold-regress-and-become-clingy-after-starting","question":"Why does my 5-year-old regress and become clingy after starting kindergarten when he was fine at preschool?","answer":"Starting kindergarten is a genuine transition, even for kids who handled preschool well. Your 5-year-old isn't actually regressing—he's responding to a real change in his environment and routine, and clinginess is a normal way young children signal they need reassurance.\n\nWhat matters most right now is the connection itself. Research shows that warmth and security from you directly help your child build confidence in new social situations. That closeness isn't something he'll outgrow or become dependent on; it's the foundation he needs to feel brave enough to explore kindergarten. Staying calm and available when he's clingy—rather than pulling away or expressing frustration—signals that the transition is manageable and that you're his secure base.\n\nSimple strategies help too: naming what he's experiencing (\"You miss me when you're at school, and that's okay\"), maintaining consistent routines at home, and giving him time to adjust. Kindergarten is bigger, louder, and more structured than preschool, so the clinginess usually settles as he gets used to the new rhythm.\n\nStay connected with warmth and patience during this shift—that security is exactly what helps him find his footing.","sources":"[{\"pmid\":\"31961177\",\"title\":\"Emotion regulation in early childhood: Implications for socioemotional and academic components of school readiness.\",\"journal\":\"Emotion (Washington, D.C.)\",\"year\":\"2020\",\"url\":\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31961177/\",\"score\":0.75}]","thread_json":null,"topic":"attachment-and-bonding","view_count":0,"created_at":"2026-10-09T00:00:44.931Z"}