Back to School Anxiety: How Parents Can Help Their Kids

As millions of kids across America begin the journey back to the classroom over the next month, an often quiet enemy is the Anxiety that many face. In normal circumstances this is common, but with the current state of our social experience, school shootings, political and financial unrest, natural disasters etc. It is important that parents feel quipped to set their kids up for a successful start to a new year. Most teens get a little anxious about starting school. A certain amount of school-related anxiety can be common for teens. But when nervousness crosses over into full-fledged anxiety in school, teens need extra support.

Anxiety disorders in teenagers is increasingly common among adolescents. In fact, studies show that nearly 32 percent of American teens between the ages of 13 and 18 suffer from an anxiety disorder at some point.

This is why it is important for parents need to know how to recognize the difference between an anxiety disorder and common levels of anxiety in school.

Back-to-School Tips for Dealing with Anxiety

Parents can help their teens learn how to deal with anxiety in school and serve as role models for stress management.

“The biggest gift parents can give their kids is the ability to cope with stressful situations,” Dr. Nosal

“And children learn by example. Therefore, parents need to be mindful of how they manage their own stress. In particular, that includes what they say and do in front of their children. When parents are anxious, children not only sense it, but the stress also trickles down,” Dr. Nosal

Tools for Addressing Anxiety in School

Stress-relief tools give teens new, positive ways to respond to feelings of anxiety in school. Here are some powerful back-to-school tips for parents to share with teens. These approaches can help teenagers counteract school fears and build stress resilience.

Breathing exercises:

Breathing exercises are proven to have a calming effect on the nervous system; simply taking three slow, deep breaths triggers the body’s relaxation response and quiets the “fight or flight” response. This is an exercise that a child or teen can do at a particularly stressful moment without anyone noticing.

Journaling:

Writing in a journal is another evidence-based tool for stress relief. Encourage your child to write a little bit every day about what they’re experiencing, as a way of interpreting and making sense of their emotions.

Teen Self-Care:

Sleep and good nutrition go a long way toward alleviating teen anxiety. Without these basics, it’s difficult to restore and maintain inner calm. Parents can help teens learn to practice self-care.

Spending time with good friends:

Close friends can help teens deal with anxiety. Acceptance and support from friends are essential to a teen’s well-being. Therefore, an authentic connection with a caring friend can alleviate anxiety in school.

Connect with family:

The busy school-year schedule can keep the family apart. Everyone has someplace to be or something to do. So make a point of eating together at least one or two nights during the week. Moreover, turn off all devices while you’re eating, so you can focus on the food and each other. As a result, meals become a time for each family member to share what’s been going on in their day and their week.

Get out in nature:

Research has repeatedly proven that time outdoors reduces levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. When teens aren’t in school, spending time hiking or at the beach can help relieve anxiety.

Finally, parents can ask their child or teen what would support them in transitioning back to school more easily. They might have very specific ideas about what would be helpful.

Maybe it’s a new outfit they would feel especially confident in. Or having an after-school plan in place for the first day or two can help. That might be a relaxing family activity, or a get-together with a close friend.