- Encontrar tiempo suficiente para escucharles de forma activa, hablar con ellos y comprender sus miedos y preocupaciones.
- Retomar unos hábitos saludables en casa: intentar proporcionarles un horario adecuado para hacer los deberes, descansar, jugar, ducharse, cenar…y dormir suficientes horas.
- Transmitirles confianza e ilusión por el nuevo curso, restándole el “miedo” que puedan tener a los nuevos retos que se avecinan.
- Ser muy positivos al hablar con ellos, adelantándoles todas las cosas buenas que les va a pasar durante el curso: excursiones, amigos a los que volver a ver, nuevas amistades que encontrar, nuevos e interesantes temas que aprender…
- Intentar quitarles cualquier presión que puedan percibir respecto a nuestras expectativas: sacar notas muy altas, recibir muchos premios…
- Insistirles en que valoramos mucho más su esfuerzo diario y constante, que sus resultados en el boletín de notas.
6 steps to combat children´s anxiety at the beginning of the school year
Recommendations by Cristina Pérez, Secondary Psychologist at Caxton College
The beginning of the school year can generate anxiety in some children and teenagers. This type of anxiety is usual since it is part of the process of adapting to the new schedules and school routines after the summer holidays, where there were practically no obligations.
What can we do to help our children?
- Find enough time to listen to them actively, talk to them and understand their fears and concerns.
- Get on healthy habits at home: provide them with an adequate schedule to do their homework, relax, play, shower, dine and get enough sleep.
- Transmit trust and enthusiasm for the new school year, subtracting the fear they may have to the new challenges that approach.
- Be very positive when talking with them; anticipating all the good things that will happen to them during the course: excursions, friends to see again, new friendships to find, new and interesting topics to learn, etc.
- Try to take away any pressure they may perceive regarding to our expectations: get very high grades, receive many prizes, etc.
- Insist that we value their daily and constant efforts much more than their results in their report card.