- Are your kids starting in a new school?
- Do your kids have anxiety about change?
- How do you ease new school fears?
The beginning of the school year is usually exciting – unless your kids are in a new school, new building, or general anxious about change…..then it can be stressful. Here are some tips to help ease the anxiety….
- Include your kids in the process – go to school orientation or arrange for a tour. Older children might appreciate the opportunity to follow their schedule — walking from the bus loop to the locker to each class. Also, be sure to point out the bathrooms, cafeteria and auditorium. Younger children might benefit from more than one visit to the school. Ask the school if they assign a buddy to new students. If they don’t, ask for one.
- Seek the positive. Request the school handbook or scour the website for fun facts, photographs, and lists of interesting classes, extracurricular activities and sports activities. Come up with a game plan for things your kids might want to participate in.
- Find friends before school starts. If you move to a new area, try to do it well before school starts. Get your kids involved in summer camps with local kids so they can meet and become friends before the first day. By the time school comes around, they will be old friends.
- Remind your children about other “firsts” they’ve experienced in their lives and how well they handled them. For example, has your child ever started a new camp, a new sports team or other activity? Find opportunities to talk about successes they’ve experienced and the advantages of taking that first step – like meeting a new friend or learning a new skill. This will build confidence and remind them that taking risks can pay off.
- Come up with a game plan. Have your child rehearse how they will introduce themselves to new kids, what they will talk about during lunch, fun facts to talk about with other kids. The more they practice talking to other people, the more confident they will feel in those situations.