Helping Your Child With Back To School And Mask Anxiety

A lot of families are in a tough spot this school year. When faced with the decision of whether to send their kids back to school or continue to homeschool them, there isn’t a clear cut answer. Many kids want to go back to school to see their friends and return to a sense of normalcy, but plenty of others are worried about starting school again. Some families are considering alternative schooling options as a means to keep their children safe, relieve their anxiety, and continue their education.

As if starting a new school year wasn’t stressful enough, now they’ll be starting a new school year in the midst of a pandemic. Online learning is challenging and lonely, and in-person learning comes with a lot of new rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These new systems are creating stress and anxiety for students of all ages.

How to help your child overcome back-to-school stress and anxiety

Acknowledge their feelings

Let your child know that you realize that starting school again might be stressful for them. They’ve been going through the pandemic just like everyone else, and it has disrupted their life too. Acknowledge that it was probably hard for them to have their school year canceled last year and that they’ve probably missed seeing their friends.

If your child is anxious about having to try to follow a bunch of new rules, let them know that adults are feeling that way too. Knowing that they’re not alone and that even the adults are trying to learn the new rules lets children know that they’re not alone in the struggle.

As they start to ease back into school life, it won’t be the same as it used to be. While they’re at school, they might feel like they have to put on a front and act like nothing bothers them. If they know that they don’t have to pretend to be fine at home, it can help lower their stress level.

If your child is experiencing severe stress and anxiety or depression related to COVID-19, you might need to look for additional help. A therapeutic boarding school could be the best option for some students. The structure of the school day and the addition of trained counselors are crucial for some students.