7 Ways to Help Kids Feel Less Anxious About a New School Year
For many kids, stress over homework or other school-related matters can cause them to feel very anxious and create an overwhelming set of emotions. However, that doesn’t mean your child has to hate school. Here is what you can do to help your child feel less anxious about the upcoming school year.
Give them quality time once a day
Regardless of whether you spend a couple of hours or a few minutes together, simply getting some quality time can help your child feel comfortable and open up about what they might be struggling with. This will help them to work through issues that they might be having and put the two of you on the same page.
Reduce Distractions at Home
According to Science Daily, a parent’s attitude toward homework can influence their children’s perceptions of homework. This can play an important role in how distracted they are. Help your child avoid distractions so they can be more successful in school and maximize their potential. For example, if you have a younger child who'll be playing online games or doing online exercises, or an older child who listens to music while doing homework, a good set of headphones is a solid back-to-school gear investment. Many options are relatively inexpensive, and a decent pair can be found for less than $100.
Organize a Solid Homework Routine
Teach your child to be self-sufficient when working on homework. As part of their homework routine, start with something that engages them and is somewhat easy. Then, have them move on to more difficult assignments. When kids know exactly what they’re expected to do, they’ll acclimate and feel less anxious about what they’re doing.
Try Different Productivity Methods
There are lots of different techniques and methods for increasing productivity and helping kids focus. Using tools such as the Pomodoro Technique can help your child be less anxious about homework. It doesn’t require them to sit down for a whole hour and struggle the whole time.
Contact the Teacher
Research has shown that teachers are sometimes able to determine which of their students are very anxious, which helps them know how to best help anxious students. Work with your child’s teacher to have a solid plan that can manage anxiety. You don’t have to contact the teacher often, and make sure your communication with them is from an understanding point of view. Share a little bit about what you think could help and talk with the teacher about how you can both help your child succeed.
Focus on Sleep
According to Parents.com, being well-rested will give your child more energy and focus. A major part of anxiety is worry over something that isn’t understood or struggling to piece together information when some of it is missing. Help your child to get enough sleep on a regular basis so they can be confident in learning.
Teach Time Management
This might seem like a really difficult or complex task at first, but simply helping your child to use a planner is an effective method to help them learn about time management. Sit down with your child once a week for a couple minutes to talk about big assignments that they might have coming up. This gives the two of you a chance to work together in planning the week and organizing time for things that your child might want to do.
Help your child see that learning benefits everyone. Help them see that working hard will help them see results that they want, and be there for them during their tough times so they can see that failure isn’t the end of the world. You’ll be going through some experimentation, but you’ll find what works and help your child succeed.
