As students head back to school, it’s common for them to develop fears about starting a new school year. Mental health expert, Lynne Shine, sat down with News 4’s Brittni Smallwood to share advice on how you can help your child with back to school jitters.
Lynne said it’s common for children to develop anxiety about the new things happening in their lives, like a new classroom, new teachers, new friends and new subjects in school. Lynne has four tips to help ease the transition of going back to school:
- Start your bedtime routine early – This allows your child to get into the routine of going to bed earlier, and waking up refreshed and ready for a new school day.
- Drive the bus route & visit the school – Your child will be able to see the bus route and become familiar with their classroom before school starts. This is especially helpful for students starting kindergarten or beginning a new school.
- Get involved: after school activities – This will give your child independence and encourage them to make new friends at school.
- Talk about school at dinner – Enforcing family dinners can open up communication between family members
