HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – With the start of a new school year, children are often stressed and worried.
“We are already hearing in our offices about concerns about returning to school. What those concerns look like depends on the age of the children and their experiences with the school system,” says psychologist Dr. Rebecca Denning of Valley Health.
She says whether it’s worrying about leaving the house or finding classrooms, friends and lockers, parents can try to anticipate how their child will cope on the first day.
“Parents often know in advance what to expect if they have left their child with a babysitter or family member for a period of time. If the transition has been difficult, they may need a plan for the first day of school to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible,” Denning said.
Denning recommends going through each worry with your child and showing them possible solutions.
“We call it proactive coping. So we have a detailed plan of how we’re going to cope with it so they know that even if that happens, we can handle it,” she said.
Denning says if that’s not enough to calm the nerves, it might be time to consider medical intervention.
“If the stress is so great that it is hindering you and it becomes very difficult to get the children to go to school, or if you go to school and complain of severe abdominal pain and similar physical symptoms, you should speak to a professional and get additional counseling,” she said.
If your child is showing these symptoms, Denning says it’s important to take them seriously while also encouraging them that they can handle difficult things.
“You want to validate the emotion, it makes sense that you feel anxious,” Denning said. “You’re trying to invalidate maladaptive behavior. If the child is really afraid of school, their solution might be: Let’s not go to school today, and that’s the behavior we want to invalidate.”
If you keep your child’s doctor updated, he or she can give you tips on how to successfully navigate the year.
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