Coping with Back to School Anxiety During COVID-19
Going back to school can be an exciting time for some students and their families, but can be a period of anticipation and worry for others. The latter has been the case for more students lately, as the last year and a half has changed the meaning of “back to school.” The excitement we once felt may be coupled with anxiety and uncertainty about what things will look like this fall. Our shopping lists not only consist of the typical pencils, notebooks, and backpacks, but also hand sanitizer and facemasks to take into account schools’ social distancing guidelines. Feeling anxious about this upcoming change and the uncertainty of what school will look like this fall is typical. There are ways you can help your child cope and adjust with this upcoming change.
1. Validate and Listen to Your Child’s Concerns
For some children, this is their first time returning to the physical classroom in over a year. As a result, students may not feel as confident in their ability to navigate social dynamics. Some students may feel nervous about their ability to adjust to the academic demands of in-person learning after learning remotely for so long. Anxieties about back to school are not limited to students who have been solely participating in remote learning. Students who have been participating in hybrid learning or in-person learning in the last year may have concerns of their own, such as those about the emergence of new strains of COVID-19.
Check in with your child regularly and see how they are feeling about the upcoming school year. Give them the space to not only discuss what they are excited about, but also what they find overwhelming. Validate their emotions and let them know that you understand their feelings and frustrations. This can open up a dialogue for problem solving and finding strategies for how your child can cope with any anticipated challenges.
2. Focus on What You Can Control
Unfortunately, in times like these, there are many things that are out of our control. Children have had to make substantial changes to the way they live their everyday lives. In addition, students are faced with uncertainty on whether health mandates will change, whether schools will remain fully open to in-person learning once the school year is underway, or whether they or someone they care about will contract COVID-19.
During these times of uncertainty, help your child focus on what they can control (e.g., thoughts, feelings, behaviors). To address worries about getting sick, students may find it helpful to remind themselves that they are taking the necessary precautions to stay safe and have done what they can to protect themselves from COVID-19. These measures may include appropriately practicing social distancing, regularly washing one’s hands, not touching one’s face, and wearing a face mask. For social concerns, rather than worrying about what their peers will be like, children may benefit from focusing on their own interactions and their plan of action on how to make friends on the first day of school.
3. Keep a Positive Frame of Mind
It is easy to get caught up in all of the things that could go wrong during the return to school, but many children have at least one aspect of school that they enjoy, whether it be social, academic, or extracurricular. Take a moment to pause and discuss with your child about all of the good things about the start of the school year. Are they eager to seeing their friends again? Are they excited to meet their new teacher? Is there a particular class they are looking forward to taking?
4. Create Predictability
Be in touch with your child’s school about what the classroom, lunch, recess, and extracurricular activities will look like this year. Although you may not have all of the information on what school will be like in September, you can help alleviate some feelings of uncertainty by having a conversation with your child on what you do know about the upcoming school year. This will allow your child to mentally prepare for the upcoming transition.
In addition, establishing a daily routine for before and after school will help bring some consistency and structure to your child’s day, which in turn will help in minimizing feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. For younger children or those with developmental delays, social stories can be a helpful tool for explaining what the classroom will look like and how their daily routine may change now that school will be back in session.
5. Model Good Coping Behaviors
Children often look to the adults in their lives for guidance on how to navigate challenging situations. Reflect on how you are managing your own anxiety and stressors during this time. Speaking to your children about your feelings of anxiety and how you have been coping with it, can help your child feel less alone. Modeling coping strategies will also encourage your child to attempt those same strategies on their own. If they see that the strategies are working for you, they may feel hopeful that these strategies could work for them as well.
6. Recognize the Symptoms of Childhood Anxiety
Anxiety can present differently in children than in adults. Be aware of any changes in your child’s behavior as the start of the school year inches closer and even during the first few weeks of school. Anxiety in children can often manifest as feelings of restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, oppositional behavior, and meltdowns. Children may even experience changes in their eating and sleeping habits, as well as complain of physical ailments, such as stomachaches and headaches. If you feel that your child experiencing significant anxiety in response to this change and it has become too difficult to manage on your own, reach out to our team for support.