BYRON, Minn.-Students across our area are back in class and school can cause anxiety for some kids. In Byron, an early childhood education program is helping families make the transition into independence before young children head to school.

We know all know parents are the most influential person on a child and so is being at school. Young kids from birth to five years old are already in classes to learn social skills they'll use in the future.
Ana Maria Van Der Laat is the coordinator at the Byron Early Childhood Family Education Class. She's prepping children to feel confident while away from their parents. From messy art classes to learning a new language, Van Der Laat says being outside of the home teaches kids cognitive and social skills and that will help them when they get older.

“Learns how to move around the class, learns the routine that preschool will be or a school or class will be with their parents in here. so they get that confidence of being able to feel fine in a school environment without their parents,” she said.

There are still spots open for kids to join in the classes, click here to learn me.