How to cope with anxiety about going back to school

Three months of vacation is a long time and children get used to not having to go to school and routines simply disappear. Going back to school can be quite difficult because laziness may have taken over their lives. If you have young children, you may also worry about their first day of school. Both parents and children must get used to new routines again.

When the children are older you may be concerned about school supplies, clothing, teachers, your children's friends, how many hours will they be inside the educational center… Anything that involves going back to school. Going back to school can be exciting for children, but the reality is that it is something that stresses them quite a bit. If adults are stressed by going back to work, why wouldn't the same thing happen with children and going back to school?

Many of your children's worries about going back to school may seem silly to you, but they can be bigger problems to them. Young or not-so-young children can experience great stress when going back to school. So that this does not happen, it is important that the children begin to prepare when the time comes or there are just a few weeks before the start of school. But, how can you cope with the stress and anxiety that going back to school can cause your children?

Back to schedules

It is common that children during the summer have had unconventional schedules and without routines, or at least that the routines have not been given every day. When there is little left for school to start again, it is necessary for routines to take center stage again from home. 

For example, one idea is for children to go to bed early again, choosing a time to go to bed. Although it is not necessary that they be as early as they can go to bed in winter, it will be important that it be every day at the same time and in the same place. You can also start getting them up earlier and not let them sleep as long as they want, otherwise when school starts it will cost them much more to get up in the morning. This will give them security and they will understand that school routines will soon return. 

Know and set limits

Although it is true that you can anticipate as much as you want, there will always be new demands, requirements or obstacles along the way. The children go to a new course and it will be totally different from the previous one so there will be new challenges to meet. Whether your child has learning difficulties or not, everyone will have to work hard to get the best of themselves. learning from new challenges, advancing in the face of possible obstacles, learning from mistakes or seeking professional help if necessary to improve their learning.

It is important that as parents you ask yourself what really matters and what can really help your children improve, the results will never be, if not the effort they show and in which they realize how perseverance will give them good results ... Although what matters is the way and not so much the end. Flexibility and understanding on a day-to-day basis cannot be lacking.

Preparation as a starting point

Preparation is very important, especially when what is coming are moments that stress or bring anxiety. If, for example, you need to buy books, school supplies or any other useful for the school, it is better to do it before the beginning of September since the burden you have for not finding the material can inadvertently transmit it to your children.

Thus, If there is something that you cannot find, you have enough time to find it and have everything prepared. The same goes for any other item you need. Preparation is essential. Can you imagine starting a new job without previously preparing everything you need? It would be chaos for you.

Parental care is also essential

If you want your children to be well and feel less anxiety, then you should take care of yourself too and that they see calm and serenity in you. If they see you busy or nervous about starting school for whatever reason, you will be passing it on. You can have a conversation with your children so they know when they will start school again and that way they can count the days until they are left. So they can prepare for the next changes.

It is also important not to neglect your own emotional needs, nor that of your children. Neglecting emotions will only increase stress. You have to be realistic about preparing to go back to school and focus on that, but without neglecting other aspects such as the necessary rest before starting routines again.

Talk to your child to find out what's wrong

Anxiety can be a reality when your children go back to school, but what matters above all is that you do not look elsewhere. If your child is not feeling well, talk to him and find out what are the reasons why he is not well and look for solutions, but do not look elsewhere.

Maybe you feel uncertain because you think this new school year will cost them, maybe you think you will not have enough friends, Maybe you are going to start a new school and you are afraid of not knowing what you will find, you may be afraid of some children who are aggressive or who create bullying at school ... There are many reasons that can create discomfort inside of your children and for that reason, it is necessary that you investigate to know what worries him and makes him have anxiety.

If it is just because you don't feel like starting school because you are very comfortable on vacation, then creating routines and preparing will be the keys.