Helping Children with Back to School Anxiety
The first day of school is an exciting time for children and parents. The sudden change in routine, mixed with the demands of the classroom can be tough on kids and their parents. The hustle and bustle of getting ready for school on time and preparing to separate from mom or dad can amplify stress and anxiety for kids. Separating for some children can be very challenging and incrediably distressing. For children who are already anxious, here are five ways to help relieve back to school anxiety.
Meet the Teacher
One of the biggest fears that anxious children have when they are going to a new class room is will I like my new teacher? Many schools prior to the start of the school year have a social night for new students to become acquainted with their new teacher, and classroom. For children with anxiety reducing the unknown of who they will be spending their school day with prior to the start of the school year can help.
Tour the School
For children going to a school for the first time, or even a new room spending some extra time before school start tour the school is important. Knowing where their class or classes are before they’re expected to be “on-time” can reduce the panic of getting lost. Some familiarity with the layout of the school will help ease some of the anxiety of going back to school but also help them have something to look forward to.
Prepare Sleep and Wake Routines
During summertime children sleep schedules relax. Bedtime in the summer is more flexible and adjusts for the energy spent during the day and the plans for tomorrow. When school starts the importance of re-establishing a consistent bedtime is important. The routine of knowing when bedtime is and when they wake up helps anxious children plan out their mornings and avoid feeling rushed in the morning. Getting children ready for their school-year bedtime is good to start the week before school starts to help them adjust so that’s it one less change during the start of the school year.
Let children know what to expect
Along with having a consistent bed time, it is helpful for children with anxiety to have a clear plan of what expect during the school week. This includes knowing when the alarm is going off, when the school bus arrives, to when lunch and dismissal is. For children who don’t read time, simply knowing the order of things helps the day become more predictable.
Talk to your child his or her feelings
Most importantly talk to your child about how they are feeling about school starting. What are they worried about, what are they excited about? This is something that is helpful to do at the start of the school year and through the entire year. Helping children talk about their worries helps them process and plan. Checking in with them regularly (daily) is important help them handle anxiety in the moment, but also know before small problems become big problems. Connecting with children about their anxiety with school gives them someone to go to when they need help.
If you’d like to talk with someone about your child’s school anxiety contact us now for a free consultation.
Jeff LaPonsie LMSW
Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, and South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.
