The Pandemic, School and Your Anxious Child
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many kids were sent home from school and resumed classes through online learning platforms. During the initial phases of the pandemic, 1.6 billion children and adolescents were affected by school closures worldwide. As the country has slowly worked to return to normalcy, many kids are entering the classroom this August for the first time in over a year. With this transition from online, at-home learning to traditional, in-person learning, children have been forced to adapt to the change. These drastic changes can bring on anxiety and stress during this transition, and parents are seeing the effects of this anxiety in their children.
Here are some tips for the parents of an anxious child:
Demonstrate Empathy
As these children are entering schools for the first time in over a year, they are having to adapt to the new changes. Although children are proven to be resilient, this transition can be difficult. Children with social anxiety may have felt a bit of a relief in their non-traditional, at-home learning, but now these same children are heading back into social situations. Each child is having different experiences, so show compassion and grace.
Inform your children about the safety protocols surrounding COVID-19
Communicate and have open conversations about the expectations for your child at their school surrounding the COVID protocol. Allow your children to ask questions! When the kids are comfortable and familiar with these expectations (wearing masks, washing hands, etc), they are more likely to follow the protocol and have less anxiety about COVID.
Find a new, effective routine
During such times of uncertainty, demonstrating consistency and routine in the home can be beneficial. Psychology Today encourages parents to remember that anxious children benefit from consistency and structure (O’Reilly-Landry, 2021). Through a routine, children can feel in control and conquer the anxiety caused by uncertainty.
In conclusion, we know that anxiety can arise from any transition in a child’s life. Although the pandemic has created new territory and amounts of variation, our children will adjust to this change. Hang in there, parents.
References:
O’Reilly-Landry, M. (2021, June 29). The Return to School: Tips for Parents of Anxious Children. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychological-trauma-coping-and-resilience/202106/the-return-school-tips-parents-anxious.