For some kids, the new school year is an exciting time. It means new school clothes, back-to-school shopping, and a chance to see their friends again. For other children, however, the new school year can mark an increase in anxiety. Whether it’s a change in routine, a new school, a fear of meeting new people, or issues with bullying, school year anxiety is a very real thing. For many children, as the school year becomes routine and you’re nearing the end of the year, the anxiety decreases — but that’s not true for all children. Some children experience school year anxiety all year round.
In order to help your kiddo with these anxious feelings, it’s important to identify the triggers, talk to a doctor, make appropriate changes, celebrate their strengths, and find things about school they can look forward to. Managing anxiety is something that everyone who suffers with it has to learn, and kids battling school year anxiety need to learn how to manage as well.
Identifying the Problem
What is it about school that gives your child anxiety? Is it the other kids, being away from you, anxiety about the work, or being bullied? Sometimes with general anxiety, it’s just the change in schedule in general that causes anxiety. Especially if the anxiety is due to something like a brand new school after a move, you’ll want to do everything you can to ease the transition with so many changes. Whatever the problem is, identifying it is key in helping your child manage it. For younger kids, it can be difficult to handle being away from you. If that’s the case, work on various drop-off techniques that can ease their anxiety. No matter the problem, let them know they can talk to you, and in doing that, you can work to make changes to help their uneasy feelings.
Talking to a Doctor
If your child has persistent issues with anxiety, you may try discussing the issues with a doctor. Anxiety is normal on a tolerable level. Many of us felt anxiety as children and feel it as adults on some level. New situations like starting school each year is bound to cause some feelings of unease, but continuous feelings of school anxiety throughout the year might not be normal. If your child feels school year anxiety on an extreme level that interrupts their everyday activities, you may want to seek a doctor. Whether it’s therapy, learning coping skills, or receiving medication, there may be a medical solution to your child’s diagnosed anxiety. And, if your child’s unease is normal anxiety, it’s helpful to know that as well.
Making Changes
Identifying the problem will allow you to make the appropriate changes in order to alleviate their anxiety. Communication is important, so encourage your child to talk to you about how they are feeling and why. If a new teacher causes feelings of unease, consider setting up a meeting with your child and their teacher before school starts. If your doctor recommends coping mechanisms or medication, make those changes as well. Make a promise to help make small changes in order to comfort your child and that alone can do wonders for school year anxiety. Giving them options and encouraging them to make decisions will not only work to ease their anxiety and make them feel in control, it can also do wonders for their self-esteem. Making changes and encouraging them to take control of certain aspects can help.
Celebrating Strengths
While school can feel stressful, overwhelming, and negative for some children, it’s important to celebrate their strengths and wins. Improving negatives and working on things they struggle with is important too, but balance those improvements out by paying special attention to your child’s strengths. Put good tests on the fridge, tell your child how proud you are of them for being kind, and celebrate any improvement. Feeling good about school strengths can translate to better feelings about school in general — which can help feelings of anxiety. Celebrating strengths can mean rewarding them with a trip to their favorite restaurant, a gift they’ve wanted, or extra time with technology — which can help improve learning and social development as well.
Picking Something to Look Forward to
When school causes anxiety, it’s because there’s something about it that your child doesn’t like. In order to help them associate school in a positive way, find something for them to look forward to. This can include a brand new lunchbox to bring to school, family participation in class by volunteering to read, or discussing extracurricular activities your kiddo may be interested in. There’s also tutoring, volunteering, music, debate, reading, or student helpers in some schools. Finding something your child looks forward to at school can make a big difference in their school year anxiety.
Many kids naturally flourish in school. However, that’s not the case for all children. Some children take a longer time to find their place in school. Some kids feel an uptick of anxiety when their schedule changes or new things happen that they can’t control. Anxiety isn’t something that’s specific to adults, and some children feel anxiety in the same way. However, you can help your kiddo cope with some of the stimuli that can cause their anxiety. Finding the problem, talking to a doctor, making changes, celebrating their strengths, and finding something about school they love can all aid in helping your child with their school year anxiety.