Use the following article to help your children transition to school during the first few weeks. Article.
Is your child anxious about going to school? Does it feel like it happens everyday? If so, here are a few ways to help.
(Taken from the article Relieve School Anxiety by Terri Mauro, About.com)
-Acknowledge the problem. Does hearing, âDonât worry!â help when youâre anxious about something? It probably doesnât comfort your child much, either. The most important thing you can do for a child experiencing school anxiety is to acknowledge that her fears are real to her. If nothing else, youâll ensure that she wonât be afraid to talk to you about them.
-Ask, âWhat three things are you most worried about?â Making your request specific can help your child start to sort through a bewildering array of fears and feelings. If heâs unable to name the things that are most worrisome, have him tell you any three things, or the most recent three things.
-Ask, âWhat three things are you most excited about?â Most kids can think of something good, even if itâs just going home at the end of the day. But chances are your child does have things she really enjoys about school that just get drowned out by all the scary stuff. Bring those good things out into the light.
-Do some role-playing. Once you have some concrete examples of anxiety-provoking events, help your child figure out an alternate way to deal with them. Discuss possible scenarios and play the part of your child in some role-playing exercises, letting him play the part of the demanding teacher or bullying classmate. Model appropriate and realistic responses and coping techniques for your child.
-Keep the lines of communication open. Let your child know that she can always talk to you, no matter what. Itâs not always necessary even to have solutions to her problems. Sometimes just talking about things out loud with a trusted adult makes them seem less threatening. And if the situation does become overwhelming for your child, you want to be the first to know about it.
-Understand the value of tears. Crying can be a great stress reliever. It flushes out bad feelings and eases tension. Itâs hard to see your child crying, and your first instinct may be to help him stop as soon as possible. But after the tears have all come out, your child may be in a particularly open and receptive mood for talking and sharing. Provide a soothing and sympathetic presence, but let the crying run its course.
-Resist the urge to fix everything. There are some instances in which parents do have to take action.
-Know when to get help. Most children experience school anxiety to some extent, and some feel it more deeply and disruptively. When does it become a big enough problem to require professional help? Some signs to look for are major changes in friendships, style of clothing, music preferences, sleeping and eating habits, attitude and behavior. If youâve established a good rapport with your child and he suddenly doesnât want to talk, thatâs a sign of trouble as well.
âFreeing Your Child from Anxietyâ is a good book for learning more about anxiety and how to relieve it. And to remind yourself how it felt to be in school, read âThe Pressured Child: Helping Your Child Find Success in School and Life.â
