How to Help Your Kids With Back-to-School Anxiety
By Genevieve Cunningham
The back-to-school anticipation is in full swing. The stores are packed with crayons and pencils and backpacks of all kinds. Kids are stocking their closets with new clothes and shoes. But underneath all of the excitement and anticipation, many kids are feeling something else. Anxiety. Though it’s natural and normal to feel a bit of anxiety leading up to something new, some kids have a hard time coping with the pressure. If your kids are feeling a bit anxious, take a look at these ways to help them through the transition.
Meet the Teacher and See the Campus
If your kids suffer from anxiety, it’s best to make them as comfortable as possible. And that usually includes a trip (or two or three) to their campus. Definitely take them to meet the teacher night. Seeing their teacher’s face and talking with them can help reduce stranger anxiety. It also helps to let them walk around the campus and get a feel for their new classroom and school. This eases tension and helps them feel at least mildly comfortable before their first day going solo.
Get Prepared
Allow your kid some say in their preparation. Let them choose a backpack, a lunchbox, and any other supplies that are needed for their class. This gives them some ownership, which helps them feel a bit more in control. This is a really easy step that any parent can make to ease anxiety and make your kid feel powerful all in one step.
Offer Maximum Support
This is a time in your kid’s life when they’ll need support, support, and more support. Give them gentle advice, lots of love, and plenty of opportunity to open up and talk if they want to. Don’t push and don’t make them feel bad for their feelings. Just let them be. The more support you provide, the more likely they are to work through their feelings and feel perfectly fine by the end of the first day.
School can be stressful. If you haven’t been in a while, you may not remember the pressure. Use these tips to help ease the anxiety in the lives of your kids. With a little love and support from you, your kids will make it to school unscathed and likely have a great time throughout the whole year.
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