Last school year was very different for many students. Most students spent part or most of the year doing virtual learning. It was a big adjustment for both students and parents alike as well as teachers. After an entire year of being physically away from teachers, peers and a traditional school setting, some students if not most, may feel a little out of practice when it comes to tackling the start of a “normal” school year this year. I have had many discussions with parents around this topic and the most reported concern was the lack of social interaction their children experienced and continue to struggle with as they return to school. Social anxiety is at an all time high and students continue to have trouble integrating back in a traditional school day to day structure following rules, directions and having to interact with their peers. Parents have reported another big concern is their child/children’s anxiety around Covid precautions and contracting Covid, despite mask-wearing and social distancing. Some schools do not have the necessary space to provide 6 ft social distancing and have implemented a 4ft social distancing protocol which parents report to be concerned as to how effective this is, if at all.
What we can do to alleviate students’ stress levels and anxiety around being back to school in-person:
Encourage your child to ask for help when they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed. This can range from a simple issue like asking where the classroom is located or a higher level of help such as help with a school project or asking to speak with the school counselor. This is important especially if students have started this school year at a new school, it can be indimitading finding classrooms and feeling comfortable finding their way around. They may also struggle with being the ‘new kid’ and having no friends. This school year in particular has seen a rise in students feeling ‘left out’ or not connected with others due to the isolation and lack of social interaction experienced during the pandemic. Set small, attainable goals such as saying hi to a new peer in the classroom everyday or in the lunchroom. Encourage confidence and reassure them that they are confident and ‘good enough’ to be accepted by others around them. This is the year to prioritize their mental health and taking the ‘stigma’ away of asking for help when we are not ok. It is ok to not be ok. Schools are actively working towards this and have implemented strategies to help students feel safe enough to ask for help or support when they are not feeling their best. School counselors have been actively training to support the influx of mental health needs in their schools. We have seen a big rise in therapy requests for children this year due to the negative effects of the pandemic on children ( and adults alike).
We must all continue to take Covid precautions seriously. Covid cases are rising steadily again and with the new variant increasing we have to be extra careful. Plan ahead. Have open discussions with your child. Encourage open and honest talk and discuss their fears and worries. If your school has sent out the school’s safety precautions, review them together so there aren’t abrupt changes when your child first goes to school. If you have higher-risk family members you are concerned about, explain what that means for your child and the extra precautions that might entail compared to what their friends might need to do. Normalizing these changes will help your child feel more in control which in turn will reduce anxiety and worry and boost self-confidence.
Lastly, provide a flexible and open attitude. Things are not going to change overnight. If grades were going down during the pandemic, it may take students a while to get back on track. If they struggled with socialization, it may feel uncomfortable for a while. Be patient and be supportive and be encouraging. Routines are changing after a year and a half of being at home. Commutes are returning and so is traffic. Mealtimes and extra-curricular activities may change to adapt to back to in-person school. The best thing we can do is to set small, realistic goals and expectations. Establishing and accepting that it is going to take some time to get back to ‘normal’ in this post pandemic stage we are in currently.
Have a great school year everyone!