Parent Tips - Helping Your Child Return to School

Family smiling

We know that some of our students may be thrilled to return to school and will be looking forward to seeing their friends and teachers. Other children may struggle with the transition back to school and may feel anxious about leaving home, the separation from parents, the changes at their school, or they may worry about the possible health risks of COVID-19. Many children will fall somewhere in the middle of this range and will feel some excitement and some anxiety as we approach the new school year.

No matter where your child falls on this spectrum, there are some important things that you can do to help your child get ready for the return to school:

  • Make sure that you are up to date on all the most current information from Kenora Catholic District School Board about what the return to school will look like. Check the KCDSB website (www.kcdsb.on.ca), updated media releases, watch for live virtual Q&A events from our Director and other KCDSB staff, and don’t hesitate to call or email the School’s Principal with any questions or concerns.
  • Communicate available information to your child in a developmentally appropriate way – it’s important that they know what to expect and that they get as many of their questions answered as possible, but it’s also important to recognize what information your child can handle, what may overwhelm them, and what they can understand.
  • Find out what KCDSB Health and Safety Precautions will look like and communicate these to your child -it’s important that your child is prepared for these new practices so they aren’t taken by surprise, and that they know what steps their school is doing to keep them safe in order to ease anxiety.
  • Review and Practice important health and hygiene routines at home (coughing/sneezing into your elbow, washing hands for at least 20 seconds, maintaining social distancing, etc). Consider role playing different scenarios with your child so that they will know what to do when the time comes.
  • Get into a good bedtime/wakeup routine at least two to three weeks before school starts – changing sleep routines takes time, and adequate sleep is vital for regulation and coping.
  • Rehearse school routines at least a few times before school starts – it has been a while since we had the morning rush, after school pickups, etc. so running through and practicing routines will make things go a lot smoother over the first few days back.
  • Write out a visual schedule that can be posted for the whole family – consider a count-down to the first day UNLESS this makes your child more anxious
  • Consider driving past the school or visiting the school grounds (if allowed) a few times before the start of school. Look for virtual tours and photos on the board website.
  • Remind your child of the positives and the things that they can look forward to once school starts.
  • Make back to school planning fun by letting them pick out some fun school supplies, choosing lunch items they enjoy, getting a new haircut, etc.
  • Remember that YOUR attitude will greatly affect your child’s attitude. Try to reflect a positive and calm demeanor when discussing the return to school and remember that children are really good at picking up on our non-verbal cues, and are frequently listening to adult conversations. If you need to vent, express concern or anxiety of your own make sure your child can not possibly hear you.
  • Find out what supports and school readiness programs your school is offering prior to school starting and make use of all supports that you think could benefit your family
  • If your child is resisting returning to school or has particular concerns contact your school and ask for help. It may be possible to arrange a virtual or in-person tour of the school, virtual meetings with staff, or other services prior to school starting.
  • If you are concerned about your child’s anxiety or fear or mental health please consider reaching out for mental health supports through the KCDSB or other community agencies. You can connect to the KCDSB Mental Health Team by contacting your school teacher or principal and requesting the service, or by emailing Sue Devlin at [email protected].

Helping your child cope with anxiety about returning to school:

*If your child is acting out or behaving in unusual ways as the new school year approaches consider the possibility that the behaviours are a result of anxiety and fear associated with the return to school. While none of us want to see our children experience these difficult feelings, this is also an important learning opportunity. This is a time to teach our children how to handle and build up a tolerance for uncertainty change, and stress, which are part of life. You can help your child by:

 

  • Listening to your child’s feelings and validating them (“I hear that you’re feeling really worried about getting sick once you go back to school. That makes sense to me because you’ve heard so much about Carona Virus these past few months. However your school has worked really hard to make sure every single one of you is safe at school. Here are some things that are going to help you to stay safe….”).
  • Try NOT to diminish their fears (“don’t be silly, there’s nothing to worry about”) or play into their fears (“I’m worried too, I hope we don’t get sick”).
  • Do NOT allow avoidance. Avoidance will increase the fear response and will make returning to school more and more difficult as time goes on. Work with your school on a return plan and keep encouraging and building up your child’s tolerance for some level of unease. Your child needs to see that they can manage and that you have confidence in their abilities. Allowing them to avoid stressors reinforces the idea that the problem is too big for them and that they cannot possibly succeed.
  • Provide opportunities for your child to succeed and then praise and reward all acts of courage- Consider tackling some other anxiety provoking situations prior to the return to school in order to build up confidence. For example, if your child is anxious about being around people, take them shopping with you and show them how to handle hygiene and distancing measures in public. If your child is worried about being away from you, consider having someone in your social bubble babysit your child or have them over for a few visits without you present. Once they see that they can safely tackle these challenges they may become more confident in their abilities to tackle other situations.
  • Remind your child of the coping skills they already possess, and Practice positive coping skills ahead of time - deep breathing, positive self-talk, prayer, etc.
  • Teach and rehearse problem solving techniques together (If you’re worried that this will happen, what are some things you could do? What will you be willing to try? How do you think that will work out?”
  • Model positive coping behaviours - show your child that some level of stress is a normal part of life, and that there are things that they can do to help. Remember that they are always watching the adults in their lives and frequently copy our behaviour, so pay attention to opportunities to model the coping strategies and stress management strategies that we want to see in our children.
  • Contact your school to let them know that your child is experiencing anxiety about school, inquire about available services, and work with the school on a return to school plan.

If you are concerned about your child’s level of anxiety consider contacting a mental health professional through the KCDSB or another community agency for support. The KCDSB Mental Health Team can be reached through your child’s teacher, school principal or by emailing [email protected]

For more information and ideas check out some of the following sites *please note that not all the following resources are designed for a COVID-19 situation but still provide some helpful hints:

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.