3 Ways to Get Your Anxious Kiddo Ready for School
School can be a challenging time for kids and teens. Especially with the integration of social media and smartphones, negative emotions follow them around even when they’re not in school. This, along with other factors, has led to an increase in the diagnosis of clinical depression among teens, and it has more than doubled between 2011-2019 and tripled for kids ages 10-14 years old.
With the back-to-school period coming closer, many parents are feeling the anxiety from their children about heading back. Michelle Hartis, co-founder of Remedy Sense Counseling, says that she sees this a lot from kids of all ages.
“I always try to figure out what the kids are most nervous about,” says Michelle. “For the younger ones, is it being away from home? New teachers? My older kids tend to focus more on not liking school or the social aspects.”
If you need some strategies to help your child cope with the anxiety of going back to school, here are some ideas Michelle suggests:
1. Talk about a morning routine and PRACTICE!
Have your child pick out their clothes the night before (or sleep in them if needed!) and talk about how much time they’re going to have for breakfast, watching tv or any other morning activities. For the younger kids, having the routine time blocked visually on a white board can help them understand what they are doing and when. A few days before the first day of school, begin this routine so it’s not so shocking.
2. Familiarize them with their environment
For younger and older kids alike, the idea of a new, unfamiliar environment can be nerve-racking. To help ease their anxiety about new routines, teachers, people and rooms, make sure to attend any open houses the school offers. Identify trusted adults and navigate the lunch room if they have difficulty with a lot of stimulus or eating in front of others. If possible, find a classmate your child knows that will be in the same class, lunch period or hallway and have them meet prior to school starting, so your child will be comforted by a familiar face.
Michelle also says that for teens, you should “Talk about safe bathrooms in the school, as not all are safe these days with vaping and other activities. Plan out a map of where it is safe to walk in order to avoid people they might want to avoid and practice what or how to say things to peers or teachers when we are uncomfortable.”
3. Make sure they get a lot of sleep
Sleep is absolutely essential when a child is getting ready to face a new challenge. It helps them problem-solve more effectively, focus on tasks and seek peer support when they need it. When they don’t get enough sleep, they have an increased chance of depression, behavioral issues and anxiety. Grade school kids need 9-12 hours of sleep and teenagers need 8-10 hours, according to a Harvard study. They need to head to bed about 30 minutes before they need to be asleep to help them wind down, and one hour before bed, all screens should be turned off.
If you find that your child is having a hard time dealing with anxiety or depression, contact us and schedule an appointment with Michelle Hartis, who specializes in treating teens and young adults.
