Illinois Teacher’s Adorable Blanket Idea Mends Little Girl’s Broken Heart

As a parent, there is almost nothing tougher than sending your child into school for the very first time. This story is about as tough as it gets.

How to get your Pre-K child to love being in school all day?

I'm sure there are some child behavior experts that can tell us about a tried and true way to get our kids to love being away from us all day, in a huge building with a bunch of little strangers, but it won't work for every child.

Every child is different when they go to school for the first time. While one family will have a child that will walk in and never look back, others will have to work through varying degrees of fear, sadness and separation anxiety.

This is a story about a little four-year-old girl who was really struggling being away from her family. A simple suggestion from her Pre-K teacher helped turn all the sadness into "I love school!"

Congratulations and gratefulness to Ms. Beth Johnson from Maria Montessori School in Rockford. 97 ZOK's New Teacher of the Week.

Ms. Johnson was nominated by Heather Peterson, she writes:

"My baby girl Kalani had just turned 4 barely making the cutoff date to start pre-K at Montessori. She had never been away from me and starting school rocked her world upside down. She’d scream and cry begging me not to make her go crying all day. She wouldn't eat lunch and then come out of school hysterically crying, shaking and needing a good 5 minute hug. Exhausted from crying she'd say she hates school. I would cry then she'd cry... fast forward 7 days and my baby was loving school. Ms. Johnson is absolutely amazing. She suggested sending a favorite blanket with Kalani to school. We’d all hug and kiss her blanket daily then send it with her full of our love and she’d hold onto it tightly all day. In just 7 days she no longer needed to pack the blanket because she LOVES school. Thank you Ms. Johnson, you have no idea how much it puts my mind and heart at ease that when she’s away from my care she is in your loving care."

As 97ZOK's Teacher Of The Week, Ms. Johnson was surprised with a beautiful floral arrangement from Broadway Florist and a delicious cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.