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How to talk to kids about feeling anxious/first-day jitters

To get a sense if your child has any jitters about going back to school, you can ask them what they’re excited about for the new school year.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — For many triad students, the first day of school is next week. For some children, it’s a time of anxiety about returning to class. Talking to your kids about returning to school and preparing for being back in the classroom can help calm kids’ nerves and help get them excited about returning. This means attending the school’s open house, meeting the new teacher, visiting with old friends, and buying school supplies. If your kid is new to the school, contact the guidance counselor and ask about special activities for new families and the possibility of meeting any classmates before school starts. 

To get a sense if your child has any jitters about going back to school, you can ask them what they’re excited about for the new school year. When answering the questions, some kids will not only tell you, such as getting a certain teacher or friends in their class but also what teacher and classmates they don’t want. This can lead to a chat about their concerns about the teacher or classmates. They might be concerned about a certain bus driver or bus route. Pay attention to what they’re telling you for clues about possible concerns.

A common mistake to avoid is minimizing your kid’s feelings and telling them they must go to school. Although children must go to school, they’ll have an easier time if their parents empathize with their feelings. Parents often think that if they don’t address the concern, it’ll go away. The opposite happens. Kids who feel anxious tend to feel more anxious because whatever is causing the anxiousness isn’t going away. Ignoring the problem can make it worse, not better.

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