Anxious child

Anxious child

I'd like to ask if anyone has been thru something similar with their child. Our daughter is 6, and has always been a sensitive soul. She feels things deeply. We love that about her, she is so beautiful and so special. She didn't ever really go thru separation anxiety at daycare, I read up about it and implemented what I learnt. So she always went off happily apart from the odd day.

This year she started kindergarten at big school. She was quite 'normal' at the start of the year. She'd have a little cry, but would have a good day. She likes her teacher, her friends and the school. But the last few months she has started crying constantly about going to school. Of an afternoon. At night. On weekends. On the way to school she will cry and say she has butterflies and is worried about going. I've asked her lots of questions to find out if anything bad goes on at school. But the only things that are making her anxious are just 'normal' things like 'I miss mummy' and 'it's too busy' or 'I couldn't get my picture to look right' . She has gone back to sitting with her year 5 buddy at lunchtime which concerns me too, because she needs to be developing her friendships with kids in her class, but her buddy has been absolutely beautiful and really looks after her.

We've had a few horrendous mornings where she has physically held on to things on the way up to school. It's heartbreaking. We have implemented a strong routine in the mornings with plenty of time to arrive so she has time to settle in and we aren't rushed (which we have realised was a trigger for her). We walk to class together and like other parents give a kiss and cuddle at the door. There's a teachers aid there each day that takes her hand and gives her a sticker when she walks in calmly.

We tried the school councillor but I realised we needed outside serious help last week when she started crying at home over 'missing' characters from TV shows and movies. Just tonight we went to the cinema and she howled at the end saying that she misses them and it's hurting. She also said 'I'm worried about going to school on Monday' (it's only Saturday night).

Other instances include her not leaving my side at 2 discos recently and worrying that I wasn't watching her brother or where she was supposed to be. And also fretting about the school musical or going to the computer class because she can't get her picture right.

We have done everything that we can read up on separation anxiety, but defiantly thinking it's more generalised anxiety.

We give her notes to take to school from us. We give her something to look forward to at the end of school. We've tried tough love, psychically picking her up and taking her up to class saying 'you HAVE to go'. I have even shown her clips about kids in other countries that would do anything to go to school. We tell her that her feelings are normal and it's ok to feel anxious sometimes.

I've got her booked in to see a child psychologist who has written books on the subject, but it's not for another month. I'm wondering if anyone has been thru something similar and how I can help her.

Thanks in advance