The transition back to class as summer ends can be a stressful time for children and parents. Some anxiety is a normal response, but parents should know the difference between normal back-to-school jitters and anxiety that warrants clinical attention.
There are several easy ways to tell when a child’s anxiety is cause for concern.
Anxiety symptoms that persist beyond the first few weeks of school and that seem excessive may require further examination by a clinical therapist. Many children display some difficulty separating from parents to attend school, however tantrums when separating, problems sleeping alone or refusal to attend activities without parents may suggest a problem requiring intervention. Likewise, some shyness or worry about schedules, schoolwork, or friends is natural during the back-to-school transition, but ongoing withdrawal or worries may signal a problem.
When a child’s anxiety is causing a great deal of distress in his or her daily life, or if getting along with family members or friends becomes difficult, normal activities in and outside of school are avoided, or there are physical symptoms like stomach aches or fatigue, these ‘red flags’ indicate that the child’s anxiety should be evaluated further by a clinical therapist.
Tips to Ease Anxiety
- Validate the child’s feelings and create an open and understanding environment that reinforces communication about school or other worries.
- Encourage conversations about the child’s worries; this way they are more likely to talk about their feelings rather than internalize them.
- Create rewarding experiences outside of school when child can overcome some of the anxieties and worries that they have discussed.
- Speak with principals, teachers, and other support staff in the school to help aid in consistent and supportive communication between home and school.
- Encourages playdates with new friends from school to help increase positive social supports both inside and outside of the school environment.
by: Shanna Hoekstra, LCSW
