The thing about being a parent is that it is rarely stable. There is always something just around the corner that brings you right back to the drawing board. For me, it was when my son started school. I didn’t like it, but thankfully he took to it like a duck to water! I was impressed! There are times when he doesn’t want to go to school, though. This is usually after a long period of absence, like summer. He tends to get anxious after a long time away from school. If you want to know how to help a child with anxiety about school, read the 5 tips on this page!
What you will learn in this post:
- Common reasons why your child has anxiety about school.
- 5 things you can do about it, aside from asking them about it!
5 Reasons Why Your Child Has School Anxiety
Bullied
This reason gets my blood pumping! When my son first went to school, he came home with a scratch on his face. I wanted revenge, and I wanted it now. I calmed down a bit when I was reminded that it was a 4-year old that scratched him.
Luckily, it wasn’t bullying, and that was the last time it happened.
Bullying is the biggest cause of anxiety when returning to school. If you want to know how to help a child with anxiety about school, you should first figure out if they are being bullied.
If they are, then you should speak with the teachers so they can address it.
No Friends
Having no friends must make school pretty bad, I must admit. The only way that many kids can get through school is by having a decent number of friends they can hang out with.
If your child has no friends, they will absolutely get some form of anxiety about school. I know I would!
-
Bold Male Pride – Baseball Trucker Cap Celebrating Masculinity
£18.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Dad Bod Appreciation Gift Mug
£14.00 Add to cart -
Dad Bod, Bad Jokes Structured Baseball Cap
£22.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Work Too Difficult
Schoolwork is tough. As my son progresses, I notice the homework is getting tougher and tougher.
Kids are learning all of the time, and as they go through school, the work also gets tougher and tougher.
Some kids get anxious because they struggle to complete or understand the work. This is where the teacher should step in at school, and you should step in at home.
Separation Anxiety
Your child may have separation anxiety, which could be why they are anxious about going to school.
It is widespread, and it is relatively easy to get over it. It takes time to resolve, though, along with most other issues!
Low Self Confidence
Speaking of things that take time, if your child has low self-confidence or low self-esteem, it will take a long time to fix it.
Some folks suffer from low self-confidence regularly in life. It is a constant war where some battles are won, and some battles are lost.
As a parent, it is your job to teach your child how important they are and how good they are. Take some time to set some achievable goals together. That way, they get used to achieving these goals, and the result is a child with awesome self-confidence!
5 Things You Can Do To Help A Child With Anxiety About School
Apart from talking to your child to see why they are anxious, there are 5 things you can do below that will help.
Address Concerns With Teachers
The first thing you should do is speak to your child’s teachers about the anxiety of going to school. This might be the quickest way to get an answer as to why they are anxious!
Also – teachers have vast experience with dealing with kids and anxiety toward school. They can use this experience to help your child.
Ultimately, if you want to help a child with anxiety about school, you should begin by speaking with the teachers!
Join Local Clubs
If your child struggles to find new friends or is being bullied, it is a good idea to get them to clubs outside of school.
That way, they can make friends and practice hanging out with other people outside of their family life.
Depending on your child’s age, this could also help with any bullying issues they are facing. It helps young kids a lot, but older children, may not appreciate going to clubs because of their bullying issues.
Prepare Learning
To stop your child from being anxious about going to school, you can prepare them before school by running through some of the subjects they are due to learn. That way, you can pick up on any pain points.
If they are anxious because they are struggling to keep up or understand what they are learning, you could speak to the teacher about potential reasons. It could be that your child needs a little extra help.
Teach Anxiety Control
Anxiety is something that we all have to deal with in life. Your job as a parent is to teach your child how to deal with those moments where anxiety is a problem.
Some folks tell their child to avoid situations where they feel anxious. I think this is a total waste of life! Kids should be taught how to deal with anxiety, so they do not fear it!
Positive Reinforcement
You should always send your kids positive messages when they do something well. This includes anything good they do at school or kindergarten (if they are still young).
When passing your children positive messages, you are building their confidence, and you are also telling them they can do well.
Helping a Child Anxious About School Takes Time and Patience
One thing you have to remember is that if you want to help a child with anxiety about school, it will take some time!
The worst thing you can do is rush through these tips. It will cause additional frustration for you and your child. By rushing your child, you may also set back any progress they may have made too.
Don’t rush it! Take your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What helps with school anxiety?
First, you should try speaking to your child. This isn’t going to be easy… nobody said parenting was easy! If you don’t get to the reason why your child has school anxiety, then you should speak with the teachers to see if they can help. Not only will they have ‘inside eyes’ but they will also have tons of experience in dealing with these kinds of issues.
How can I help my child with back to school anxiety?
First, you need to find the reason for the anxiety. It is only then that you can address it. Most school anxiety becomes apparent after a long time away from school. It takes a while to get used to it again. You should also check that your child is not being bullied, and has a strong friendship structure at school to help.
What are signs of anxiety in a child?
Children exhibit anxious symptoms such as; irritability, concentration issues, eating problems, sleep disturbances, among other things. If you think your child is exhibiting signs of anxiety then you should seek professional advice straight away. You should also learn how kids should deal with anxiety, so you can teach them how to cope with it.
Conclusion
If you want to know how to help a child with anxiety about school, then the 5 tips on this page will absolutely help you!
There are a few things that you need to be aware of. It isn’t something that you will enjoy reading, but anxiety could result from other things going on in your child’s life. Here are some valuable resources if you need them:
- Details for anxiety disorders in children.
- Details of a connection between anxiety and dyslexia.
This post is no replacement for professional medical advice. If you need to speak to a medical professional, then you should do it straight away.
Good luck!
