Supporting your kids going back to school

By Sue Watkins

There is so much stress surrounding going back to school this year. Parents, teachers and kids are all feeling the pressure and uncertainty.  Parents have had to make tough decisions about what is best for their families surrounding school. Kids are feeling the stress of school looking different this year and not knowing what it will really look like. Here are some ways to help support your children during the new school year.

  1. Set aside a time to have open and honest conversation with your kids.
  2. Ask your kids what their understanding of what is happening with school is. You might be surprised at what they really know.
  3. Clarify any misconceptions they have about what is going on. It is okay to not have all the answers and tell them that.
  4. Validate any feelings that they have during this time and try to help them learn healthy ways to cope with their feelings.
  5. Create some sort of routine of getting up and getting ready for the day like you would for traditional in classroom learning.  Kids thrive on structure and routine.
  6. Find out what their favorite part of school was before Covid.
  7. Find out what worries they have about returning to school in whichever setting they are in.
  8. Find ways to give them some control in their life. Kids need some control in their day.  This might be a choice of clothes, snack, helping with chores, choosing activities etc…
  9. Notice any behaviors that start to become a consistent problem that are out of the normal for your kids such as increase in nightmares, temper tantrums, anger and aggression, acting out, wetting the bed etc…  These might indicate they are struggling to deal with their emotions.
  10. It is okay to seek help and support for yourself or kids if you are having a difficult time.

Remember that this is a new situation that nobody has been through before and there is not a perfect way to handle it. Give yourself and your kids some extra patience during this transition time.

If we can be of help to you and your family, call The Center for Hope & Healing at 936-524-7523.  We offer in-person and tele-health appointments.

Posted in Blog