Face the back-to-school blues

The back-to-school period stimulates a mix of emotions for children, parents and guardians. For the children, it is a bit of sadness as the lazy, carefree summer days come to an end and, excitement and anxiety, at the same time, as they anticipate changing grades or attending a new school - primary/preparatory or high school - on 'September morning'.

For parents and guardians, back- to-school is not only about the excitement of seeing children grow up and change grades, but it is an additional stressor. Regular bills have to be paid but now there are also the back-to-school bills - books, school fees, uniforms and other school supplies.

The start of the new school year is really a period of transition for children. The very young ones will be initiated into the routine of leaving home and going to school for the first time, others are graduating to primary school level, those with GSAT examinations now behind them, are stepping through the doors of high school, and yet another group of children are moving into the upper school and into structured examinations curricula.

New teachers, classmates, bus routes and school buildings can spell excitement, but also the fear of the unknown. This 'emotional soup' is normal and natural in any transition but sometimes, as adults are caught up in their own work and household responsibilities and in back-to-school shopping, they overlook children's nervousness and anxiety as the new school year kicks off .

Coping with transitions

Help children cope and manage the transition by:

1. Talk, talk, talk: Children are resilient and have a remarkable capacity to cope, and parents can build on this resilience by making home a safe place for children to talk about their feelings and concerns about going back to school. They might be concerned about new teachers, how to get to school, making friends, being bullied, being able to handle the new curriculum and so on. Let them talk with you about their fears, then you can empathise with them and together find solutions.

2. Lower the anxiety: There are several ways to burst the anxiety bubble. For example, if your child will have to travel on the bus for the first time, or travel on a new bus route to high school, parents could have some practice runs before the first day of school. You and your child could take the bus together to school. You could also visit the new schooltogether before the first day of school and introduce yourselves to the teachers and principals.

3. Create structure at home: Children like structure and routine in their lives. Organise their school supplies, school fees, homework area, study schedules, household rules and, after the freedom of summer holidays, start re-orientating them to the back-to-school sleep routine a few days before school begins. Start waking them up earlier, serve them a nutritious breakfast and let them read a book or do some research on the computer at home or at the library, as you gently ease them back into the school routine.

4. Get involved: Join the home/school associations and actively participate and advocate for your child and other children. Meet and get to know all of your child's teachers. This is will be a big boost of support for your child.

Eulalee Thompson is health editor and a professional counsellor; email: eulalee.thompson@gleanerjm.com.