Going back to school can be stressful for your children especially if they are changing their sleeping routine, an anxious about a new school, a different set of teachers or having to make friends.
What do you do?
- Start using the school clock a few weeks before to get your child back into the habits he or she will need during the school year. Kids tend to adjust to the school routine much better if they move into it gradually.
- One way to ease your child’s fear of new teachers is to visit the school’s site. Usually, teachers will have a biography on their class home pages that tells students who they are. Knowing a bit about teachers’ stories helps make them seem more approachable and familiar to students during that critical first week of school.
- Take them to their “Back to School Night.” This can be a great way for kids to meet teachers outside of a formal classroom setting. It can also help with learning their school’s layout, something that’s especially helpful for children who may be changing classrooms during the day for the first time.
- There can be many different reasons children have anxiety about the new school year. Take time to remind them that everyone feels nervous on their first day of school (even principals and teachers). Make sure to provide with positive things about school that can calm them down, and most importantly, listen to their concerns. Maybe even sharing your own experiences as a child will help ease the stress your child may be feeling.
- Parents should get to know their school’s counselor, especially if their children have struggled or are struggling with emotional or behavioral health issues. It is important to know the services the school offers in case they are ever needed for your child.
Family & Children’s Services offers school-based counseling for children and teens with emotional or behavioral problems. With offices in select schools across the Tulsa area, our therapists can quickly intervene so children get the help they need to achieve their best at school. Visit our website to find out if your child’s school offers Family & Children’s Services counseling.
