As the 2022 school year fast approaches, children and parents may be feeling some stress and anxiety associated with heading back to the classroom.

Canberra Daily spoke with Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University of Canberra, Dr Vivienne Lewis, who offers expert advice about sending your child back to school.

How do I help ease my child’s general anxiety about going back to school?

“Going back to school every year is a mix of excitement and anxiety. After the new year, holidays, and not being there for a while, it’s completely normal to feel nervous. Particularly, if it’s their first time starting kindy, primary school, high school, or college, this can be quite anxiety provoking,” says Dr Lewis.

“It’s a completely normal experience to be anxious starting something new! For those kids in new schools, the best thing is to talk to them about what to expect, which will help them feel more sure in themselves.

“For young kids, taking a little trip to the school so they can see what it looks like and walk around is a great way to help them get settled. Check and see if the school has an orientation day where you can go into the school and say hello to the teachers; this will help it not be so anxiety provoking.”

My child is anxious about catching Covid-19 from school. How do I ease their concerns?

“My best advice is to just simply talk to your child. Tell them what to expect if they do catch Covid. Reassure them that they’d be home from school and well looked after by you until they got better, just like when they’ve caught a cold,” Dr Lewis says.

“To help them not be frightened of Covid-19, remind them that the doctors and nurses know what they’re doing, and if it did happen, they would be well looked after. Try not to avoid the conversation – be available to them, talk through their worries and offer reassurance.”

What about reassuring my high school student?

“For adolescents in high school or college, reassure them of the rules in place to help protect them, like masks and social distancing. This will help them to know there are things in place to help keep them safe, and they’ll feel more prepared to head back into the classroom,” says Dr Lewis.

“The difficulty is the uncertainty, which causes anxiety. So, try to give them as much certainty as you can so they know what to expect if an outbreak does happen. Remind them they’re in good, capable hands and that as family you will cope together, and everything will be alright.”

My child has social anxiety that has been exacerbated by remote learning. How do I help them with the transition back to socialising at school?

“For some kids with social anxiety, who have been doing remote learning and haven’t been around their friends, going back to seeing everyone, and particularly those children in larger schools with lots of kids, can be really anxiety provoking,” Dr Lewis says.

“This situation is all about reassuring your child before they go back, getting them re-connected with their friends and re-familiarised with their school. If they’ve already seen some friends, it’s not such a shock to the system.

“Also, having something nice planned for them when they get home during their first day or first week back can help them have something to look forward to and start off the year on a positive note. That could simply be getting their favourite dinner or having something relaxing planned to help them get back into the swing of things and feel less anxious.”

My child is super anxious, is that normal?

“If your child is anxious, it’s natural – don’t worry too much! It’s a normal experience. But, if they aren’t settling and are feeling really anxious months down the track, talk to the school,” Dr Lewis advises.

“Talk to the school’s counsellor or psychologist about what’s going on and maybe work out an intervention for them. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

I’m feeling quite anxious about my child going back to school. What can I do to ease my own anxiety?

“Parents are often really anxious. That’s normal! As an adult, really try and downplay your anxiety around your child, so they know they’re in good hands in a safe environment,” Dr Lewis says.

“Try and talk yourself down as a parent or carer, as with any new thing, your kid will be anxious if they can tell you are. Be as calm as you can and reassure yourself that they will be just fine.”

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