Help Your Child Manage Back to School Jitters with These Tips!
A new school year can be an exciting time, but for a parent of a child with special needs, that excitement can also be paired with high levels of anxiety. Luckily, there are some strategies for taking the fright out of the first day of school.
Visit the School Before the Other Kids Show Up
One good idea is to visit the school before the actual year starts, preferably without the other kids around. This will give your child the freedom to explore the school without feeling anxious about having other students nearby. It will also give your child a chance to see the routes from the classroom to other areas of the school, such as the gym or therapy rooms. You can take pictures if you are allowed to; that way, you can go over the areas again once you get home.
Play a Game or Create a Story
Practice makes perfect, and one good way to take the fright out of the first day is to create a story or scenario that reflects everything that might happen on the first day of school. With younger children, use pictures that reflect such routines as getting on the bus, starting the day, and ending the day. With older children, you can run through various scenarios that reflect a typical day, and then create a game that focuses on what they are expected to do.
Talk to Your Child About His or Her School Day
Another way you can help minimize your child's anxiety is call the school and learn as much as you can about the way the day will be structured, and then discuss the specifics with your child. That way, your child knows exactly what his or her day will look like, and how it might be different from that of the classmates.
Don't Feed Into the Anxiety
It's hard to see your child get filled with anxiety about the first day of school, but do not feed into it with your own. Let your child know that you will listen to any fears that he or she may have about going to school. Also, try practicing some coping skills with your child; that way, if something occurs while you aren't there, your child is prepared to handle it.
By following these tips, you can help your child have the best first day of school possible. Just make sure to give him or her a big hug before going to school and even a bigger hug after.
To schedule a free consultation to learn more about how the Brain Balance Program can help your child reach their full potential, contact us online or find a center near you.
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