When you find out that your kids have signs of social anxiety in children you can’t take it easy. You must find a way out and help them be better.
When your kids have social anxiety in children they often think, “I don’t know anyone at this new school.” “What if my friends are no longer in the same class as me?” “People say, the teacher in the current class is fierce.”
How to Help Students Manage Their Anxiety While in School
“What if the lessons are difficult and there is a lot of homework?” Such children’s anxieties naturally arise before the days they have to return to school.
Even though children feel excited about the first day of school and want to put on their bags or shoes right away and also want to see their friends again soon, sometimes feelings of anxiety still attack them.
Rachel Busman, a clinical psychologist from the Child Mind Institute, said that starting school again was a challenge for children.
In this transitional period, they can become stressed due to changes in the social environment—friends, teachers, and activities—previously.
Ellen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., in Psychology Today gave examples of some mild symptoms of social anxiety in children that appear when children experience back-to-school anxiety, including nausea, spending a lot of time choosing the right clothes for the first day of school, or being quieter than usual.
Trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, restlessness or irritability, crying tantrums, or even refusing to go to school can be more severe symptoms.
Does your child experience something similar? If so, then immediately help them deal with this anxiety. What can you do?
Read me : Why Is Music Education Important?
Stop Saying That He Exaggerates
Listen to him when a child is expressing his anxiety, don’t stop him by saying, “You are exaggerating.” Instead, listen to him. Pay close attention to what makes him anxious.
Ellen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D. sharing tips for parents in responding to this back-to-school anxiety. He advises parents not to respond with the words, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.” More than that, use sentences that are more detailed and clearer so that your little one feels understood.
Even if the sentence is long, it will still be better. You can say something like this, “You are worried because your friends might end up in another class, right? Later you will have friends in the new class, really, and you can still meet old friends during recess.
Get Back Up Your Routine Slowly
When the holidays come, children can enjoy getting up late, no need to take a shower right away or rush to finish their breakfast. All of that is a real pleasure for them.
Going back to school means missing all that fun. So that your little one doesn’t get confused with the routine of going back to school, rebuild your morning routine a few days before school activities start.
For example, reminding him not to be too late, waking them up earlier according to the schedule when he has to get up for school, also have breakfast on time. This will help keep him from getting bogged down with his morning schedule when school resumes.
Help Them Make a Daily Plan
Your little one may be worried about the increased school hours as the grade increases, or perhaps with more homework and tests.
You can help explain to your little one that by making regular plans, all of these worries will be controlled. Invite them to make a schedule table for when he has to do homework, when he has to study, and when they can play and rest.
Tell them, “If all activities are done regularly, then your days will be more enjoyable.
Ask All Members of the House Not to Scare Your Little One
Sometimes, your little one’s anxiety is triggered by other people’s words.
For example, “Come on, your teacher will be different, you know.”, “Wow, there will be more and more lessons in class.”, “Every day there will be homework.” ” Tell carefully all family members and caregivers if this will not have a good impact on your little one.
Ask them not to be scared and instead provide support. If your little one has older siblings, ask older siblings to provide support too, by sharing their good experiences while in the same position as their younger siblings now.
That way, your little one will be motivated to relieve his anxiety.
Remind Children That They Have Been Through The Same Transitions
If children feel anxious because their social environment will change, remind them again that they have gone through the same transitions, for example from first grade to second grade. Tell him, “Last year you did well.
Your friends at school are still the same, they are just in different classes and you can make friends with new friends and keep old friends. Tell them that you are sure this year they will also pass it well.
That’s how you can help your kids with managing their anxiety while in school. If you find your kids having social anxiety in children you must take a serious way to deal with it, because if you just let it happen, it will affect your kids’ mental health, and it will be bad for your children.
