A thoughtful read-aloud for young children learning how to face first-day fears with friendship, courage, and kindness.
✍️ Author’s Note:
This story—originally titled Meeting Friends and written by me, Vicky Hobbs—was first typed up in 1989 while I was in college. My teacher gave it a B+ and wrote in the margin, “We’ll talk about this one in class”—a moment I’ve never forgotten.
But the story itself is older than the printed pages. I started telling it to my little sister Nancy years earlier, almost every night, to help her feel excited about starting school and new friendships. I was 15 years older than her, and she was like my real-life doll—I loved dressing her up, playing with her, and spinning stories around her.
This version is lightly revised for clarity, but the heart remains unchanged.
Nancy Mitchell was a feisty little girl who was always getting into mischief. She was five years old, with long blonde hair and puppy-dog-shaped brown eyes. Tonight, she was extra excited because tomorrow was her first day of school.
School. The very word made her think of kids playing, running, and having fun together. Nancy was so thrilled, she could barely sit still, much less concentrate on anything.
After Nancy’s mom finished cleaning up the supper dishes, she called to her, “Nancy, go to the bathroom and run yourself a tub of water. You need to take a bath and wash your hair before you go to school.”
Nancy did a mix of skipping and running down the hall toward the bathroom. She sang loudly as the water ran. “I’m going to school tomorrow, school tomorrow, school tomorrow!” After her bath, she and her mom laid out Nancy’s fluffy pink sweater, matching pink and green knee-length skirt, pink lace socks, and her favorite mint green Keds tennis shoes.
After her clothes were ready, Nancy crawled into bed. She knew she was too excited to sleep even a little. But soon, she drifted off, dreaming of playing on the swings with all her friends.
The next morning, Nancy woke up around 6:30. She decided that her mom had forgotten to set the alarm. After all, it was daylight outside, so it must be almost time to go to school. Nancy dressed herself in her pink and green outfit, fixed herself a bowl of Sugar Pops, brushed her teeth, and fixed her hair. She was ready to go to school and thought she would watch television for a few minutes before her mom got up.
Meanwhile, Mommy had gotten up and gone to wake Nancy, but she wasn’t there. Puzzled, she checked the kitchen and looked outside where Nancy’s puppies were. Still no Nancy. Now she was beginning to worry. She walked into the den, and there was Nancy, fast asleep on the couch.
Mommy smiled when she saw her daughter already dressed for school. She gently woke her up and told her to go wash her face so she wouldn’t be sleepy. In just a few more minutes, they’d be ready to go.
When Nancy and her mom pulled up in front of the school building, Nancy jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. She tugged with all her might on the big brown double doors, but they didn’t budge until her mother came up to help. As they walked down the hall, Nancy pulled on her mother’s hand, trying to hurry her along. Other children and their parents moved briskly through the hallway.
Nancy saw a few kids from her neighborhood running up and down the corridor. Some children were crying and clinging to their mothers’ legs, while others played quietly as their parents spoke with the teachers. Nancy took it all in as she and her mom weaved through the crowd toward her classroom.
When they arrived at Room 3C, a pretty young woman with a warm smile greeted them. “Hi. I’m Tammy McSpadden. Are you looking for Room 3C?”
Nancy’s mom smiled back. “Yes, I’m Marsha Mitchell, and this is my daughter, Nancy.”
Mrs. McSpadden gently took Nancy’s hand and said, “Well, Mrs. Mitchell, I’ll take good care of your little girl. Please come back at noon—we’ll only have school for half a day.”
She led Nancy to a round table surrounded by five other children and told her to sit down and color until everyone arrived.
As Nancy sat down at the coloring table, she realized she didn’t know anyone. All the other children seemed to have a friend—except her. The excitement she’d felt earlier faded. Now she just felt sick and alone. Her eyes filled with tears, and she began to cry softly.
Then, a girl about her size with bright red hair, green eyes, and a pixie nose sprinkled with freckles walked up to her and said, “Hi, my name is Marcy Simer, and today is my first day of school. What’s your name?”
Nancy gave a trembling smile through her tears. Her tummy ache disappeared.
“My name is Nancy Mitchell, and I’m so glad to see you,” she said. “Would you like to color a picture with me?”
Nancy and Marcy began to color and talk. Each had found a friend they would always cherish.
As Mrs. McSpadden walked through the room, she noticed the two girls giggling and talking together. She remembered the feeling of relief and joy she’d felt on her own first day of school, when she met her best friend. Smiling brightly, she clapped her hands twice and called the class to order.
Nancy looked at Marcy and smiled. Her tummy didn’t hurt anymore. Maybe school was going to be okay after all.
📚 Next read: Clipboard Catastrophe is a fun, real-life school story about a sixth-grade book report gone hilariously wrong.
📚 Want more? Brave Girl Speaks Up is a companion piece to this story—another real moment where doing the right thing felt hard but necessary.
💡 Need extra support easing back-to-school nerves?
Check out this guide from PBS Parents with thoughtful tips for making the transition smoother for both kids and caregivers.
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[…] story is also a companion piece to another I recently published:👉 First Day of School: A Short Story About FriendshipBoth explore the quiet resilience kids often show in the face of fear, silence, and peer […]