Conquering Back-to-School Jitters

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Welcome to another episode of K12 Public Education Insights empowering Parents of Color Podcast, the podcast that converges at the intersection of educational research parental actions. It's about making the trends, topics and theories in public education understandable so that you can implement them into practical, actionable strategies that work for your children. My name is Dr. Kim J. Fields, former corporate manager turned education researcher and advocate, and I'm the host of this podcast. I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators, as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African American mom raising my two kids who were in the public school system. I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system. Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed, I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress. This battle tested experience is what I provide as action steps for you to take. It's like enjoying a bowl of educational research with a sprinkling of motherwit wisdom on top. If you're looking to find out more about the current information and issues in education that could affect you or your children and the action steps you can take to give your children the advantages they need, then you're in the right place. Thanks for tuning in today. I know that staying informed about K12 public education trends and topics is important to you, so keep listening. Give me 30 minutes or less and I'll shine a light on the latest trends, tactics and topics pertaining to the constantly evolving K12 public education environment. Have you had a child that has experienced back to school anxiety? In this episode, I'll be discussing back to school anxiety and how you can help your child successfully navigate it. When I was growing up, my siblings and I got used to making new friends. So since we moved around a fair amount because my father was in the Air Force, we not only had to get used to a new school, new kids and new teachers, but we also had to get used to a new neighborhood and community. And just like many other life skills, you get better at this with practice. Going back to school can be an exciting time for some, but not all kids are comfortable making new friends if they are placed in a new school. Starting out the school year with fresh new clothes, new shoes, and even a new backpack may not be enough to overcome back to school anxiety. There could also be anxiety in returning to the same school in a new grade. What causes back to school anxiety for some children? And more importantly, what can you do as a parent to help ease their anxiety, especially in the first few days or weeks? I explore this topic through the research and provide action steps you can take to help your child overcome back to school anxiety in this episode. Let's gain some insight on this. Having a more flexible schedule during the summer generally comes to an end when school starts. Children need to get back into a routine and this can be challenging for some. If your children are old enough, you can help them by asking them to design their own schedules and work with them to create a schedule that works for them. Using a planner or calendar to record tasks and events and even rewards can help a child who's anxious feel more in control of their time and less overwhelmed overall. While it may not be appropriate for PK to kindergarten children, older children, meaning first graders and up, can prioritize their tasks and schedule their free time so they can develop more time management skills that will help them throughout their lives. Being organized can also help reduce anxiety. For parents as well as children. It's important to develop an organizational system that could include creating a home workstation or having a dedicated study space, maintaining a routine or schoolwork, chores, and free time. These things can help relieve the anxiety of returning to school. Another thing that helps reduce anxiety is a good night's sleep. Sleep is not only vitally important for children, but it's also a high priority for parents. It's not only about how much sleep you get, it's about the quality of sleep that you get, meaning that you get uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. Having a consistent sleep schedule is vital. Reinforcing that sleep schedule during the school year can make the difference between a cranky, anxious child and one who's well rested and ready for the school day. Some researchers suggest discussing bedtime with your kids. I'm not on board with that. I established a definite bedtime routine and time to be in bed that was non negotiable when my children were growing up. Listen, when you've been looking at and dealing with children since 6:30 in the morning, by the time 8:00 clock rolls around at night, you're ready for them to be in be. You just need your alone time, your quality time. Don't judge me returning to the same school but in a new Grade may mean your child could return to conflicts with previous classmates. These conflicts may have involved bullying. Research indicates that bullying can be a traumatic experience for those who are targeted. The pain and distress victims experience impact almost every aspect of their lives, leaving them feeling lonely, isolated, vulnerable, and anxious. And these consequences can linger well after the bully has moved on to another target. If you think your child has been bullied, look for signs that include ripped clothing, hesitation about going to school, decreased appetite, nightmares, crying, and anxiety. Talk to your child to find out what's really happening in their lives. Also, and this is the strategy I uphold Teach your child how to handle a bully. You can teach your child to ignore a bully, but when the bully becomes aggressive by pushing and shoving your child, you can teach your child to handle their business, meaning that they need to ensure that they send a message that they aren't the one to be picked on. The rule in my house was as long as you don't start something, you won't be in trouble. And if someone starts something with you, you make sure you finish it. Now this may be controversial for some, but it is important to teach your child to defend himself or herself and for us, it's a life skill. In cases of cyberbullying, you can teach your child how to respond to texts or emails received from a bully. You can friend your child on their social media account and and set up proper filters on the computer. Now this research study indicated on your child's computer. I don't believe in a child having his or her own computer. The one computer that they use should be a shared computer that's located in a common area, not his or her bedroom. Also, if it's hard to be cyberbullied on a cell phone that only can make phone calls, children may also be anxious about changes in their friend groups if they are moving to the next grade level or starting a new school where they have to make new friends. This can trigger back to school anxiety. One way to encourage them to make new friends is is by engaging in extracurricular activities. Acknowledging that making friends can sometimes be scary. You can reassure your child that you are there to support them as they make this transition. Returning to school can also cause anxiety because students may be facing new academic challenges and new teachers. This anxiety may center around expectations expectations of what the new challenges entail. One way to ease this type of anxiety is to review homework with them and give them the tools to talk to their teacher and advocate for themselves by asking for help when needed. The biggest components for helping with back to school anxiety are open communication and support. Awareness of these issues and and talking with your child about how they are feeling is key as the 20252026 academic school year gets underway. Experiencing anxiety about returning to school is a natural response to change that affects everyone differently. Elementary students often worry about making new friends or adjusting to new teachers while older students grapple with academic performance pressures and social dynamics. Early identification of back to school anxiety symptoms is crucial for both older and younger students. Young children might express anxiety through behavioral changes such as becoming more clingy or irritable, while older students may demonstrate avoidance of school related topics. Building strong support networks within the school community significantly reduces anxiety levels. Schools should create an environment where students feel comfortable expressing their concerns to teachers, counselors, or school psychologists. Parent teacher partnerships are essential for providing consistent support as well as understanding students needs typically facilitated through regular communication channels, family engagement events, and resources that help parents support their children's emotional well being at home. Students can ease their back to school anxiety by visiting the school beforehand, meeting teachers when possible, and organizing supplies. Parents can also help by establishing consistent routines at home several weeks before school starts. Schools support back to school preparation through orientation events, virtual tours, welcome videos, and sharing detailed information about schedules and procedures well in advance. The importance of physical and emotional well being is can't be overstated in managing school related anxiety. Schools should prioritize regular physical activity through structured PE classes, recess or movement breaks during lessons. Creating a positive classroom environment has been proven essential for reducing anxiety levels. Physical space in the classroom should consider lighting, noise levels and seating arrangements that promote comfort and focus. I discussed more about the importance of the physical classroom environment in season three, episode 126. So what can you do with the information I just shared? Here are the action steps you can take regarding navigating back to school anxiety. Not all children experience back to school anxiety and not all children have the vocabulary to describe their anxiety, but parents can look to their children's behavior for signs. Children who experience experience anxiety may appear more clingy than normal. They may be more restless and fidgety. They could complain of stomach aches. Additionally, they could display changes in eating and sleeping habits. They could express negative thoughts or worries. They could get upset or angry more quickly. They also could have bouts of unexplained crying and struggle to concentrate. It's important to note that anxiety disorders affect one in eight children. Research shows that untreated children with anxiety disorders are at a higher risk to perform poorly in school and miss out on important social experience experiences. Other ways that you could help your child adjust to being back in school include staying connected. Some children may be worried about being away from their family, so find ways to show them that you're always with them. For example, you can put an encouraging note in their backpacks or give them an item that reminds them of you. This way, if they are anxious at school, they can remember they are safe and loved. Another way to help your child adjust to being back in school is to focus on the positives. Ask your child to make a list of all the things they are excited about. Go through this list with them. Take every opportunity to remind your child that being with friends, playing during recession, going on school trips, and doing activities are all a part of school too. Additionally, you can help them identify specific fears. Every child is concerned about different parts of the school experience. Sit down with your child and talk to them openly to identify what they're worried about. This way, you can try to address the issue beforehand. For example, if your child is worried about meeting their new classmates in school, you and other parents might arrange a play date before school starts. It's also helpful to maintain a routine. Going back to school is a big change for children, so it's best to keep other parts of their life consistent. Maintaining fixed routines when at home will help them feel stable and secure. This can mean doing hygiene routines together in the morning, having fixed times for dinner and bedtime, or carving out some time every day to talk openly with your child. I like to reserve the time when we got home from school during snack and before homework to really just talk with my kids and catch up with how their school day went. Lastly, you can be supportive of them academically. For many children, studying and taking exams in a classroom setting will be difficult or anxiety inducing initially, which means that they may underperform. Make sure your child knows that you are proud of them regardless. Ask their teachers what you can do to support them at home and give them time to adjust to the new normal here on this episode. Takeaways Going back to school can be an exciting time for some, but not all kids are comfortable making new friends if they are placed in a new school. Being organized can also help reduce back to school anxiety for parents as well as children. It's important to develop an organizational system that can include creating a home, workstation home, or having a dedicated study space. Maintaining a routine of schoolwork, chores, and free time. These things can help relieve the anxiety of returning to school. Another thing that helps reduce anxiety is a good night's sleep. Sleep is not only vitally important for children, but it's also a high priority for parents. It's not only about how much sleep you get, it's about the quality of sleep that you get, meaning that you get uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. Early identification of back to school anxiety symptoms is crucial for both older and younger students. Young children may express anxiety through behavioral changes such as becoming more clingy or irritable, while older students might demonstrate presentation or avoidance of school related topics. The main thing in dealing with back to school anxiety is to let your children know that you care about them, you love them, you support them, and you are there for for them to discuss whatever is on their minds. What's been your experience with dealing with back to school anxiety? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a text comment on my podcast website, k12educationinsights.buzzsprout.com if you enjoyed this episode, why not listen to another episode from my library? It could take as little as 15 minutes of your day. And remember, new episodes come out every Tuesday. Thanks for tuning in and listening to this episode. Be sure to come back for more insights on K12 educational topics that could impact you and your children. Until next time, aim to learn something new every day.

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