Tips for Easing Back to School Anxiety

CLEVELAND - With the first day of school just around the corner, some kids may be starting to feel anxious.

“Anxiety is completely normal for most children going back to school, actually. It's a huge shift from summer break into a more structured day and routine. And the goal for parents isn't to completely eliminate anxiety. It's to help their children learn that they can feel anxious and still learn to cope with what's in front of them,” said Emily Mudd, PhD, psychologist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.

Dr. Mudd said that kind of anxiety can be comparable to when an adult starts a new job or returns to work after being away for a while. 

So, what can parents do to help ease those first day jitters?

Besides acknowledging how your child is feeling, Dr. Mudd suggests talking to them about things they’re looking forward to. 

For example, seeing their friends again.

You could also go on a tour of the school before classes start or set up a meet and greet with their teacher.

“Predictability is one of the best antidotes for anxiety. If your child knows what to predict, they will be able to cope with the situation ahead of them. So if you have a child that is going to be going to school for the first time, preschool, kindergarten, lower elementary grades, for this age of child, separation from parents may be more challenging. Teaching them what that is going to look like and walking through that, makes it a predictable routine,” she said.

Dr. Mudd said while it can be natural to feel anxious on the first day, parents should be concerned if their child keeps finding reasons why they can’t go to school, such as pretending to be sick. 

That merits a deeper conversation and perhaps an appointment with a mental health professional.