How to Help Your Child Navigate School Anxiety

It’s normal for kids to be a little nervous about school, no matter their grade level.

Every year is a new experience with a different teacher, new friends, and new expectations. But, there’s a difference between the standard butterflies that will subside over time and anxiety over going to school each day. 

Unfortunately, some children still struggle with school anxiety well into the year.

They could be dealing with bullying, separation issues, unnecessary pressure, or a variety of other factors causing their anxious thoughts to take over. 

Thankfully, there are things you can do to help your child navigate school anxiety and enjoy their time learning and socializing.

Let’s cover a few tips you can put into practice right away. 

1. Identify the Triggers

Often, the best way to manage any kind of anxiety is to learn what’s triggering it.

Your child might not want to open up about their fears, or they might not fully understand why they feel so anxious. But talking about it is a great place to start. 

• Ask about any situations that might happen at school that upset them.

• Or, if they’re a bit older, talk about anxiety and let them know their feelings are valid, no matter what.

That can encourage them to open up and share more of their worries with you so you can get to the bottom of things together. 

2. Teach Relaxation Techniques

Once anxiety starts creeping in, it can quickly take over a person’s thoughts.

You can teach your child to combat those negative thoughts through different relaxation techniques. 

• Things like mindfulness and meditation are great ways to fight back against anxiety that your child can do anywhere, as often as needed.

  • Teach them how to take slow, deep breaths and focus on staying grounded.

  • If anxious thoughts start to come, tell them to visualize them as clouds passing by rather than something they need to hold onto. 

• Journaling is another great way to help your child relax. They can keep a small notebook with them at school.

  • If they start to feel anxious, they can write down exactly what they’re feeling and why.

  • Sometimes, getting those thoughts on paper can weaken them and help your child feel more in control.

  • Plus, a journal allows them to keep track of their anxious thoughts to see how far they’ve come. 

3. Relate to Them

If your child is a bit older, they might not feel like you truly understand what they’re going through.

Connect with them through your own experiences. Maybe you deal with anxiety now or have in the past. Maybe you even had difficult experiences while you were in school, like dealing with drama, bullying, or difficult friendships. 

Not only will empathizing with your child keep them communicating with you, but they’ll look to you as a role model for handling anxiety.

Yes, your child is paying closer attention to you than you might think.

So, prioritize your own mental health if you’re trying to get them to do the same. 

4. Work With a Therapist

If your child is still struggling with school anxiety, consider scheduling an appointment with a therapist.

Therapy is a safe and effective way to help your child learn how to manage their anxiety and their mental well-being. 

Furthermore, a therapist can get to the root cause(s) of your child’s anxiety. Even if your child doesn’t want to open up at home, they might be more willing to work with a professional.

It’s difficult to see your child struggle with anxiety over something like school, but it doesn’t need to be this way forever.

Contact us to set up an appointment soon.