Managing Back to School Anxiety

Experts say that back-to-school anxiety is at an all time high. The good news is that situational anxiety like this can be treated most effectively if caught early.

Here are some signs your child is experiencing back to school anxiety:

• Tummy aches and headaches
• Resisting wanting to go to school
• Restless sleep
• Extra clinginess
• Withdrawal

So what can you do?

• Listen to your child without dismissing their anxiety
• Establish a predictable routine for school ahead of time
• Try a practice run before school starts
• Offer calming tools like a therapeutically weighted stuffed animal for anxiety
• If it doesn’t resolve after the first couple of weeks, it’s a good idea to talk to your child’s teacher, school counselor or pediatrician.

Read next: What is Social Emotional Learning?