Going back to school after an entire summer of fun or starting school for the first time causes anxiety in many young children. Fear of the unknown and nervousness over change can cause a child stress as the first day of school approaches. Parents can help to empower their child to be confident and in control. The following tips will help to alleviate a child's anxiety and lead to a positive back-to-school experience that will set him up for a successful school year.
Reduce Unfamiliar Elements at School
A child who doesn’t know what to expect is often fearful. Going to a new school or classroom has a lot of unfamiliar elements: new teachers, new friends, new routines, and new environments. By introducing the child to the unknowns slowly and repeatedly before school begins, a child will feel more comfortable and gain trust in his ability to cope.
During the summer, make a plan to tour the school when no class is in session. Also, request to meet the teacher and see the classroom before the first day of school. This visit will give a child a chance to meet his teacher one-on-one before the first day and become familiar with the classroom and school layout.
Before meeting with the teacher, make a list with the child of questions he would like to ask the teacher. Knowing the answers to such questions as, where will I sit? where is the bathroom? and where do I hang my coat? will make a child feel self-confident about arriving on the first day of school. Be sure to ask the teacher for a sample schedule of the school day and a class list to take home. Discuss the daily schedule and read the other students names with the child to build familiarity.
To create a new morning routine of going to school, before the first day of class, practice walking, driving or biking to the school or bus stop many times during the summer. Take time to enjoy the route with the child, point out and talk about interesting trees, homes and businesses along the way. Practice trips before school begins will help to set a daily routine. A stable schedule provides structure that a child can trust and feel at ease.
Many children have anxiety over who they will play with at recess. If possible, schedule a visit to the school playground with a neighborhood friend to play when school is not in session. This will give a child the chance to become familiar with the equipment and gain confidence to play independently or ask a new school friend to play.
Plan for Back-to-School
While back-to-school sales seem to begin earlier and earlier every year, that doesn’t mean that supplies need to be purchased in June, but do plan ahead for a low stress back-to-school season. Sit down with the child and plan special outings to purchase school supplies and school clothing together. Make these trips low-key but fun. Research sales and pricing online before shopping. Impose a maximum limit of two stores per trip to keep the shopping easy and enjoyable. Encourage the child to call his grandparent or other relative to tell about his back-to-school shopping trip. This creates an effective outlet for a child to talk about the upcoming school year with others in a positive way.
Dress for Comfort
Resist the urge to “dress up” a child for school. Offer the child easy to manage school clothes that he can easily dress and undress to use the bathroom independently, move around comfortably, explore outdoors, paint and use water, run and play. Before purchasing any clothing for a child, test zippers, buttons, snaps and ties for ease of independent dressing. A child who is dressed comfortably and can independently care for himself at school will feel in control and happy.
Set a routine of choosing school clothes the night before to eliminate morning stress. A child should be allowed to choose his own clothing, within limits. For example, ask a child, “would you like to wear the black sweat pants or the blue sweat pants?” not “what pants do you want to wear?”
Make the First Day of School Special but Simple
It’s great to have a first day of school tradition, perhaps pancakes for breakfast or a quick photograph before climbing into the car, but keep it low key. Pack the backpack, make a lunch, and bathe the night before. Leave plenty of time in the morning to enjoy getting ready and not be rushed or late. Respect the schedule and atmosphere of the classroom and enter on time, peacefully and quietly without photos or fanfare. The teacher has a plan for the first day of school, so be considerate and follow her lead. Greet the teacher with the child, and then give him a kiss, say “goodbye, I’ll see you after school” and leave. This will ease a child smoothly into the classroom daily routine.
Honesty About a Parent's Feelings
A child who has back-to-school anxiety often is reflecting the anxiety he is feeling from an anxious parent. A parent needs to be honest about how she feels about the child beginning school. She needs to discuss worries, sadness or concerns with another adult, not the child and keep all school conversations with a child positive and upbeat.
 |
