4 Ways to Help Your Child with Back to School Anxiety
By Elizabeth Nguyen, MMFT, BS in Elementary Education
Many children face anxiety as summer is coming to an end and they start thinking about the upcoming school year. Even if they enjoy school and even if they are attending the same school they previously attended, the thoughts and questions about the new year can bring a lot of anxiousness.
“Will my new teacher be nice?”
“I wonder if any of my friends will be in my class…”
“I heard 4th grade is supposed to be really hard. What if it’s too hard?”
“What if I don’t know anyone?”
Here are a few tips to help your child with anxiety as they prepare to return to school in a couple weeks:
1. Listen to your child share their concerns and worries! Normalize their feelings.
Don’t tell them not to worry and everything will be okay, because while that might
be true, it generally doesn’t help people to be told don’t worry. If they’re worrying
about it, it’s legitimate to them.
2. Practice back to school routines! Practice waking up earlier, getting supplies
together, and getting out the door. Practice eating lunch in 25 minutes. Practice
writing or solving math problems a little each day. It’s been several weeks since
they’ve been in the habit of school and it can be anxiety provoking thinking about
adjusting to their school year routine again. If your child is attending a new-to-
them school (or if it’s the same school as previous years and they just need a
refresher), reach out to the counselor and see if they can get a tour of the school!
Walking the halls and figuring out where the cafeteria is, where their classroom is
located, where the gym is, etc. can help ease a child’s anxiety as they become
familiar with the building and routines.
3. Encourage your child to think about what they are excited about in the coming
school year! Maybe it’s making new friends, playing on a different playground, or
going on a really cool field trip. Hopefully there is something they can look
forward to. If they can’t think of anything, brainstorm some ideas with them.
4. Let their teacher or school counselor know your concerns! While teachers and
counselors do have a lot going on, they are at the school to help your child
succeed and have a great year. There is no harm in letting them know to give
your student a little extra support the first couple of weeks as they adjust to
school.
If anxiety is something your child deals with on a regular basis (or if you have
other concerns regarding the mental health of your child), also consider getting
them into individual therapy. Therapists are a safe place to process difficult
feelings and they can work with your child on learning coping skills, emotional
regulation, and more!
Enjoy these last few weeks of summer and have a fantastic 2022-2023 school
year!
Elizabeth Nguyen, MMFT, BS in Elementary Education
Alice Stricklin Counseling and Consulting
615-784-9209
509 W. Main Street, Lebanon, TN
Elizabeth is accepting new clients and does offer an income based sliding scale. To learn more about Elizabeth visit https://www.alicestricklin.com/clinical-staff