Coming Soon: Randi's First Day of School — Helping Kids Feel Brave About New Beginnings

A child with a backpack stands near a welcoming school entrance while Pop-Pop offers quiet encouragement in a warm storybook illustration

4 Quick Takeaways

  • Randi’s First Day of School is an upcoming Story Time With Pop-Pop title about courage, new beginnings, and the feelings children may experience before starting school.
  • Stories can help children rehearse unfamiliar transitions, name their emotions, and imagine positive ways to ask for help.
  • Parents, grandparents, and educators can ease first-day jitters with predictable routines, simple goodbye rituals, and honest reassurance.
  • C Family Media is developing 14 more Story Time With Pop-Pop books and 15 planned Activity Time with Pop-Pop volumes.

Starting school is a major milestone. It can bring excitement, curiosity, and a little worry all at once.

That mix of feelings is completely natural. A child may wonder what the classroom will look like, who will be there, whether they will make friends, and when a trusted adult will return.

At C Family Media, we believe children deserve stories that make room for every feeling. That is why we are excited to share an early preview of Randi’s First Day of School, a new title currently in development for the Story Time With Pop-Pop series.

Author Bio: Randolph Cuthbert, lovingly known as Pop-Pop, is the creator and author behind C Family Media. His books use relatable characters, family connection, and meaningful experiences to help children build resilience, friendship skills, and emotional understanding.

What can families expect from Randi’s First Day of School?

Randi’s First Day of School will offer a warm, high-level look at the emotions surrounding a child’s first school experience. The story will focus on first-day nerves, courage, trusted relationships, and the possibility that a new beginning can become something positive.

Because the book is still in development, we are not sharing a full plot summary or unconfirmed dialogue. Instead, families can look forward to a story that recognizes how difficult it can feel to step into an unfamiliar place while encouraging children to believe in their own ability to take the next step.

Randi’s experience will connect with many children who feel nervous about:

  • Leaving home or a familiar caregiver
  • Entering a new classroom
  • Meeting a teacher or classmates
  • Following a new daily routine
  • Trying something without a parent or grandparent nearby
  • Wondering whether they will feel comfortable or included

The message is not that children must feel fearless. Courage can begin while a child is still nervous. It can look like walking through the door, saying hello, asking a question, or giving something new a chance.

Pop-Pop’s presence also reflects an important reassurance: trusted adults remain part of a child’s foundation, even when they are not in the room. Love and support do not disappear when a child begins a new experience.

Why do stories help children prepare for starting school?

Stories help children rehearse unfamiliar experiences in a safe and low-pressure way. They give children language for emotions, examples of coping, and a chance to talk with a trusted adult before the real transition begins.

That is why many families search for first day of school books for kids, books about starting school for kids, and separation anxiety books for children. A well-chosen story does not promise that every moment will be easy. It helps children understand that mixed feelings are normal and manageable.

Shared reading can help your child:

  • Recognize feelings such as worry, excitement, sadness, and pride
  • Notice that other children may have similar concerns
  • Practice asking a teacher or trusted adult for help
  • Imagine a routine that feels more familiar
  • Understand that goodbye is not the same as being forgotten
  • See mistakes and uncertainty as part of learning

Research and family literacy guidance support the value of reading together during school transitions. BookTrust explains how shared stories can support children starting school, while research on interactive picture-book reading has explored how stories can help young children practice emotion-regulation strategies (National Library of Medicine).

The conversation around a story may be just as valuable as the story itself. You can pause and ask, “What do you think the character is feeling?” or “What might help when something feels new?”

There is no need to turn reading into a test. A child may answer with words, drawings, pretend play, or a quiet observation later in the day. Every response can become part of the conversation.

Unlike a haphazard social media status, a structured story gives children a beginning, a challenge, and a safe space to explore what may happen next. That structure can make a big transition feel easier to understand.

Cover of Story Time With Pop-Pop: The Day I Ran Away, featuring Pop-Pop and children gathered around a storybook

How can you ease first-day-of-school jitters?

You can help your child feel more prepared by combining emotional reassurance with simple, practical routines. Small steps taken before the first day can make the new experience feel more familiar.

For parents and grandparents

1. Validate the feeling without increasing the fear.
Try saying, “It makes sense to feel nervous about something new. We can take it one step at a time.” Avoid dismissing the concern with “There is nothing to worry about.” Children need to know that their feelings are welcome.

2. Visit the school when possible.
Walk past the building, practice the route, look at the entrance, or attend an orientation. Familiar sights can reduce some of the uncertainty.

3. Practice short separations.
If your child is not used to being away from you, begin with brief, predictable separations. Let your child know when you will return and keep that promise.

4. Create one simple goodbye ritual.
A hug, high-five, special phrase, or heart drawn on the hand can become a portable reminder of connection. Keep the goodbye warm and brief.

5. Use child-sized time markers.
Instead of saying, “I will be back later,” try “I will see you after lunch” or “I will be there after story time.” Concrete language is easier for young children to understand.

6. Praise brave actions.
Praise the process rather than expecting a tear-free morning. Say, “You walked into the classroom even though you felt nervous,” or “You asked your teacher for help.”

For educators

Educators can create a welcoming bridge between home and school. A greeting by name, a classroom helper job, or a familiar activity can give a worried child something positive to do after goodbye.

It also helps when teachers ask families about the child’s routines and comfort strategies. Consistent language between home and school can give children a stronger sense of security.

Reading first-day stories with a class can support every child, not only those who show visible anxiety. Children can discuss different feelings without being singled out. Drawing, role-play, emotion cards, and breathing exercises can extend the conversation beyond the page.

If a child’s distress is severe, continues for an extended period, or interferes with attendance and daily functioning, families should connect with the child’s teacher, school counselor, pediatrician, or qualified mental-health professional.

Which C Family Media books are available now?

C Family Media currently offers four books that families can enjoy while waiting for Randi’s new story. The collection includes intergenerational storytelling, emotional growth, creative practice, and shared family time.

Cover of Story Time With Pop-Pop: The Fishing Trip, a family story about connection and shared memories

For intergenerational storytelling, explore Story Time With Pop-Pop: The Day I Ran Away and Story Time With Pop-Pop: The Fishing Trip. Both titles invite children and trusted adults to share meaningful reading moments while discussing courage, choices, family, and connection.

For social emotional learning and hands-on practice, families can explore Activity Time with Pop-Pop Volume 1 and Activity Time with Pop-Pop Volume 2. These interactive books extend the reading experience through activities that encourage creativity, attention, conversation, and shared participation.

Cover of Activity Time with Pop-Pop Volume 1, showing Pop-Pop and children creating together

You can find all four available books on the C Family Media Books page.

What else is coming to the Pop-Pop collection?

The Pop-Pop collection is growing into a broad library of stories and activities for children and families. In addition to Randi’s First Day of School, 14 more Story Time With Pop-Pop books are in development, along with 15 planned Activity Time with Pop-Pop volumes.

The announced Story Time With Pop-Pop working titles include:

These future titles will continue C Family Media’s focus on relatable experiences, emotional development, resilience, friendship, and the special bond between generations. Every child brings a unique personality and perspective to the world. We believe stories should honor that individuality while giving children a strong foundation for growth.

Cover of Activity Time with Pop-Pop Volume 2, showing family members sharing a creative activity

Why do new beginnings deserve stories of courage?

New beginnings deserve stories of courage because children often need reassurance before they feel ready. A thoughtful story can remind them that nervousness and bravery can exist together.

Randi’s First Day of School is still taking shape, but its purpose is clear. It will help families open gentle conversations about starting school, trusting supportive adults, and taking brave steps into unfamiliar experiences.

We are excited to keep building a collection of social emotional learning books, children’s books on resilience, and character building books for kids. We hope these stories give you more than a reading activity. We hope they create moments of connection that stay with your family.

Visit C Family Media and explore the current book collection while you wait for more news about Randi’s first school adventure.

What would you like to see next from Story Time With Pop-Pop or Activity Time with Pop-Pop? Share your ideas, favorite themes, and family experiences with us.