The 'Hug Button' Is A Brilliant Way To Comfort Nervous Kids Before School

This mom’s simple idea is helping scared little ones on their first day of school

The first day of school can be wrought with emotion for both parents and kids, but one mom has the perfect idea to make everyone feel better about being apart for the day.

It’s called the hug button, and its genius is in its simplicity. UK mom Louise Mallett posted a photo on her Facebook page last week along with the story behind it, and it’s adorable.

Mallett explains that after a few “settling in” morning sessions at school, her youngest child, four-year-old Max, had to endure his first full day of school.

And he was feeling some kind of way about it.

“I could tell he was feeling a little emotional this morning so we had a chat and came up with the idea of having a heart each and if we pressed it it sent a hug to the other one (he said he cried as he missed me on his first half day last week) it totally worked,” she writes.

The mom of three explains that all it took were a few simple hearts drawn with a pen. “I drew a heart on both our hands and gave him a spare one on his arm in case the one on his hand wore off, we ‘charged’ them by holding hands on the way to school and when I picked him up I said did you get my hugs and he happily said yep! He also said ‘I pressed it for a long time mummy but I didn’t cry,'” she says.

Oh, our hearts.

Mallett shared her sweet idea with the parenting Facebook page The Motherload, a UK-based site that provides support and community for moms. The Motherload editor Alison McGarragh-Murphy says, “The new school year has just started and our members have been talking about the struggles of their children who are finding it difficult to settle in as they start school for the very first time. So when Louise Mallett posted the gorgeous photo of hers and Max’s hug buttons we absolutely loved her idea – as did our members.”

McGarragh-Murphy says it wasn’t long before other community members reported using the idea for their own kids. “Lots of mums in our lovely supportive community tried hug buttons too, and found that they also helped their child cope better with going to school for the first time. It’s such a sweet, simple way to help your child feel happier and more settled. All you need is a pen, two hands and a lot of love.”

Finding a way to connect with your child while they’re at school and missing you doesn’t have to be complicated, as Mallett’s adorable idea proves. I used to give my kids “hand kisses” on their palms when they were little so they could have a kiss from me “saved” for later in the day when they missed me. My friend has a pin she wears on her shirt and her daughter has a matching one so they can remember each other throughout the school day. Moms are resourceful AF when it comes to keeping our kids from melting down.

As for Mallett, she’s thrilled and relieved that her little trick worked to ease Max’s first day fears. Now, she can focus on something truly wonderful: time to herself. Well, once she can stop crying about her last baby going to school. “Bless him, here’s to many more happy days at school while I sit at home with the dog and cry that all my babies are at school now.”