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K–12 School Children

How to Deal with Social Anxiety in K–12 School Children

 

There are many reasons why your children might have anxiety with the thought of going back to school. If your kids are showing all the signs, make sure you pay attention. 

Here are a few ways on how you’ll want to approach the problem. With these tips, you can hopefully help your kids overcome their anxiety and help them enjoy spending time with their classmates and teachers again. 

Know the Signs 

Do your kids have stomach-aches? What about headaches? Do they cry a lot or have tantrums more than usual? Do they have poor focus? If they show any of these signs and they keep saying they don’t want to go to school, that could be a sign that it’s something more than a temporary tantrum or more than the result of a bad mood. 

Check the School

If your kids say they don’t want to go to school, listen. Don’t automatically assume that they’re doing it to catch your attention. It might be that your kids are getting bullied at school. Determine if their school provides a safe learning environment. If you have doubts about that, then start looking for a better preschool in Singapore.

Offer More Help 

Find out what’s at the core of their issues. If the problem isn’t the school, then are they having a hard time with their subjects? Are they finding it hard to cope with math or science? Then look into getting them tutorial assistance. 

Talk to the Teachers

Find out more by scheduling a video call with the teachers. If your kids have transitioned to online lessons ever since the start of the global pandemic, then their instructors could shed some light on what’s happening and let you know if your kids are being bullied in class. Are they having problems with other kids? How’s their performance? Have their teachers noted down any changes in their behaviour? A video call with their teachers can also help you and their instructors come up with better strategies or approaches to help them. 

Practice with Them 

They’re less likely to be anxious if they’re prepared for what’s going to happen. Help them achieve that by going over possible situations. If they’re moving to a new school, then rehearse scenarios like how they will say hi to new classmates or talk to their teachers. How will they introduce themselves in class, for instance? These will all help them see and realize that there’s nothing to be anxious about. By reviewing their daily schedule, you can help them overcome their anxiety over these events. 

Manage Your Anxiety

There are things we need in order to function, in order to be the best version of ourselves. But the current situation with Covid-19 has made it impossible for many of us. With adults stressed and anxious, it’s really no wonder kids are, too. If you want to help your children with their anxiety, take a good, long look at yourself. Your little ones might be absorbing the stress and anxiety that are coming off you. Find better ways to manage your anxiety. Start by taking care of yourself, too. Parents might be too busy trying to juggle work-from-home, their kids, and household chores that they’re walking mountains of stress balls. Keep in mind that not all the balls we juggle in the air are glass. Some are plastic. Find out which ones are plastic and let those go. Pick them up tomorrow.  

Encourage Friendships

Online classes have made it possible for schools to resume lessons. However, many of the students feel the isolating effect of e-classes. Your kids might be feeling the same. In the past, they could talk to their classmates, have lunch with their friends, and play games with each other. Given the restrictions in the new normal, your kids might be sad or lonely. Encouraging them to make friends or stay in contact with their friends will also help a lot. Video calls are an easy way for the kids to meet and spend time together. That also helps improve your children’s mood which can help them get over the anxiety they feel. 

Look into Other Classes

It’s also a good idea to talk to your children’s teachers and ask them about any extra classes or programs that your kids could take to help them improve their performance at school. Some offer remedial classes. That could be an ideal way to keep your children busy after their regular classes end. 

Let Them Join an Activity

Many schools offer extracurricular activities that your kids can benefit from. Talk to your kids about attending these activities after class. If they love the performing arts, writing, or cooking, enrolling them into these programs can help dissolve their anxiety.

Prevent anxiety from overtaking your children’s lives. Explore more ways until you find the most effective ones.