For many children, returning to school in September brings a sense of anxiety – there’s the concern they will not be in the same class as their friends, the uncertainty of what their teacher will be like, the stress of what to do if they miss the bus and a host of other worries.
In a school year that begins in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sense of anxiety may be amplified. But according to Chris Pawluk, lead psychologist for Rocky View Schools (RVS), there are many things parents can do to help manage their child’s back-to-school stress.
“Parents contribute to their kids’ worry by focusing on the anxiety and the worry,” he said. “One thing we want to do with kids is to reflect on our own [positive] experiences at school and talk about that balanced approach.”
One way parents can help their child approach the school year with a positive mindset is by behaving calmly, Pawluk said, as a parent’s emotions can often rub off on their child.
“If you’re really worried about their going back to school, then they’ll pick up on that and can start to worry too,” he said.
School divisions will implement measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as enhanced cleaning practices, keeping students in cohorts and mandating masks be worn in certain areas. When parents discuss the return-to-school procedures that will be in place with their child, Pawluk suggests they be honest and encouraging, rather than simply reassuring.
“You don’t necessarily have to problem-solve by saying you’ll call the school and yell at their principal,” he said. “We just want to listen and validate.”
Pawluk acknowledged the pandemic will bring a new “layer of complication” to navigating back-to-school jitters this fall. But despite the many new health and safety protocols students will have to learn, he said it’s possible for parents to mitigate the stress they or their child may experience in the lead-up to the first day of classes.
One of the ways parents can be less stressed about COVID-19, he said, is to become “consumers of information” about the virus and the protocols implemented to help reduce its spread in schools. When doing so, he added it’s important to rely on the information provided by experts and go “back to the facts.”
“We don’t want to speculate about things, but stick to what we know from really good sources,” he said. “So, if the medical officer of health said [something], rather than my sister’s friend on Facebook.”
Once classes officially begin, Pawluk said it’s important to remember that, in general, this is a more stressful time than past school years, and that may be reflected in grades and performance.
“We’re all under stress and trying to cope with that,” he said. “It’s fine if we’re not on our game quite as much because of the additional stress.”
Finally, Pawluk reminds parents that having their child establish good sleeping and attendance habits will benefit their learning in the long run.
“We need kids to sleep well – that’s when learning happens,” he said. “Kids come to school, we put all this stuff in their brain, and then they go home and that learning gets consolidated and moves into long-term memory while they sleep.
“It’s also good for their immune system, having the same wake-up time and bedtime every single day.”
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
