When our children are nervous, so are we. Whether your child is starting their first day of kindergarten or middle school, sometimes it can feel as though you’re about to drop them off at their grandparents’ for the first time as an infant. If the stress is getting to you both, there are a few simple, proactive measures you can take to ensure that your child has a smooth back-to-school transition.
5 Ways To Ease Your Child’s Back-to-School Anxiety
1. Tour the school.
Being able to visualize their new school is a simple way to ease first day jitters. Even something as simple as driving to the school and cruising around the parking lot or taking a peek at the playground might calm their nerves. Many schools offer an open house during the summer for this exact purpose. At these events your child will be able to see their classroom and meet their teacher.
If the school doesn’t offer an open house, reach out two weeks before the first day to see if you and your child come in and take a peek. Schools are open for most of the summer, so the request shouldn’t come as an inconvenience or a surprise.
2. Connect with friends.
A familiar face can make a world of difference when heading back to school. If you’re not familiar with your child’s friends, ask them who they enjoyed spending time with the previous year. Reach out to those parents and see if the children will be in the same class with your child this year and if they’d like to schedule a playdate before school starts. Refreshing those connections will help your child feel more comfortable when she heads into the classroom on her first day.
3. Be prepared.
Sit down with your child and make a list of possible materials they will need when they go back to school. Along with notebooks and pencils, consider items they might need for projects: construction paper, poster board, markers, glue. If the supplies list includes unfamiliar items such as a protractor, take a moment to introduce it to your child and show them how it works. Having a quick introductory lesson will make them feel less anxious. Knowing they have all of their school supplies before the first day of school will make them feel secure and prepared.
4. Ease into the routine.
Instead of waking up on the first day of school to a fire drill, start the your routine the week before. Set alarm clocks to the appropriate wake-up times. Make lunch the night before. Have your child get dressed and set up with breakfast in the time it would take you on a normal school day. Getting back into the routine slowly will make everyone feel more relaxed when the following Monday rolls around.
5. Back-to-school shopping.
When picking out clothes for back-to-school, let your child shop the summer clearance rack first. This will allow your them to pick out a few new pieces that they’re excited to wear that might be trending right now but will be over by the time the cold weather sets in. Picking out their own clothing instills a sense of independence.
The fall children’s coat racks will picked through long before the temperatures drop, so it’s best to stay ahead of the curve and pick up a quality coat, layers, and pants while shops are promoting back-to-school sales.