How to Support Your Child Through School

School can be tough for kids-- there are often high expectations, busy schedules, and bullies lurking around the corner. Especially in today’s world, with the adoption of online or hybrid schooling among the majority of school districts, children are expected to adapt to some pretty significant changes in their lives. If your child is struggling with managing stress and anxiety related to school, continue reading to discover some ways that you can support them.

1. Encourage Your Child to Talk About Their Feelings

Like us, children are filled with all kinds of thoughts and emotions. Some children feel comfortable with initiating conversations about how they are feeling, while others tend to mask their struggles or concerns. Provide your child with a space to talk freely about how they are feeling. You can ask them questions about their day, how they feel about an upcoming assignment, what virtual or hybrid learning has been like for them, and on. Asking your child targeted questions like these can help them to feel able to answer openly and honestly.

2. Be Mindful of Your Own Stress or Anxiety

Children pick up on the emotions of those around them, especially their closest loved ones. If you are feeling overwhelmingly stressed or anxious about the changes to schooling or scheduling, this can lead to increased stress or anxiety for your child. If this is something that you are noticing, take time for your own self-care and find ways to talk about and process your emotions with another trusted person.

3. Reward Process Over Product

During times like these, your child’s sense of normalcy and routine has likely been shaken. Your child may be struggling with attending to a computer screen for hours a day, or with not being able to get the in-person help that they are used to. Placing excess pressure on your child to always earn the best grades can just add to the stress that they may already be experiencing. Rather, focus on the process. Reward your child for putting a lot of effort into a project, for taking the time to study for a test, or for asking for extra help. Focusing on the effort put into their work helps your child to know that you value their hard work, and takes some of the pressure off of having to be the “perfect” student with the highest grades.

4. Help Your Child Build a Schedule

With the switch to virtual or hybrid learning, many children experience complete disruptions to schedules. Many children are comforted with having a set routine, and can become quickly distressed when changes are made. Sitting down with your child to help build a regular schedule can help to provide them with more structure, clarify expectations and tasks, and give them a sense of agency in being able to take part in making their own schedule.

5. Don’t Forget to Have Fun!

In the race to get homework done and projects completed, all while juggling your own responsibilities, making time for fun family activities can easily fall to the wayside. However, prioritizing time for your family to relax and have fun in one another’s company is so important to everyone’s wellbeing. This can be taking a trip to a park, choosing a recipe to make as a family, creating a seasonal craft, having a movie night, or really anything that would be fun and relaxing for you and your family!