Back to School Anxiety
By Colleen Cahoon
Family Navigator Coordinator
Esquimalt MFRC
Military families often experience many changes and transitions such as moving to a new city and managing deployments. The beginning of the school year is another example of transition and change for military families and may make your child feel anxious. Maybe your child is starting a new school in a new city this year, or transitioning to middle school, high school or even college. Perhaps your child is returning to the same school but they are feeling uncertain about the new school year. It is important to help your child navigate transition and help them understand that it is normal to feel anxious during times of change.
Common worries that children have around going to school include: new school, teachers, friends, fitting in, academic performance, and/or being away from their parents. Signs that your child or teen is feeling stressed or anxious include: clinginess, temper tantrums, and complaints of headaches and stomach pains. They may become withdrawn, sullen or irritable.
Here are some tips to help reduce the stress that children may be feeling in the fall:
Healthy Habits
Self-care is critical to a child’s success in school. Encourage your child to get a good night’s sleep by establishing a consistent school sleep routine. Ensure that your kid eats nutritious food, drinks plenty of water, and is active. Taking care of these basic needs will significantly reduce a child’s tendency to feel anxious during times of change and transition.
Establish a Routine
Preparing a routine for the school year as a family may help with easing the back-to-school stress. Have a family meeting to discuss what the fall schedule is going to look like and encourage your child to participate in the planning. The more ownership that kids can take, the more they are going to buy into the new fall routine. Try to avoid overscheduling your kids and incorporate some downtime; especially if there is a deployment coming up. You may want to consider establishing family guidelines to avoid doing too much. For example, have a limit of one activity/child; moreover, this may be particularly helpful if the child has difficulty with change.
Talk It Out
Encourage your child to share his/her fears about returning to school. Reinforce that it is normal to have worries and concerns. It may be helpful to schedule a regular time and place to talk where you can give your undivided attention to your child. Teens on the other hand, may appreciate a distraction (ie. go for a walk and talk). Encourage your child/teen to use their problem solving skills by teaching them your own strategies on how to deal with anxiety. By demonstrating an understanding of what and how the child/teen may be feeling, the parents are encouraging openness to the guidance that they are offering to their kids.
When to seek help
Even though it is normal for your child to have worries, it is crucial to encourage your child to attend school. Avoidance of school only increases and reinforces your child’s fears over the long-term. Typically, anxiety subsides as students settle into their new routine. However, if it doesn’t and the anxiety is interfering with the child’s ability to concentrate in class or have a healthy social life, then you may want to consult a mental health professional for support and advice on how to manage your child’s anxiety.