Parents can help quell anxiety when kids go back to school

CINCINNATI - School bells ring and the fall rite of passage continues as more students head back to school this week. Dr. Robin Gurwitch, professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital, says there's more to the start of the school year than just reading, writing and arithmetic.

"New school years bring excitement as well as challenges for children and I think a little bit for parents, too," Gurwitch says.

One of those challenges is back to school anxiety with questions about new classes, teachers and friends. Right from the start, parents need to show their children positive support.

"Although you may be a little bit anxious and a little bit worried, it's really important for the kids to see that you have extreme confidence that they're going to do great in the school year," Gurwitch says of anxiety.

As your family prepares for the first day, Dr. Gurwitch says child involvement is the key for success.

"Help children have a little bit of say," she says, "no matter what their age is, in terms of school, picking their backpack, going out and getting the right school supplies that they want and even picking out the clothes they're going to wear on that important first day of school."

For older students, practice things like opening locks, attend the school's open house with your child so that they can walk the halls and find their classrooms and the restrooms. Don't forget about the little ones and linchtime.

"Making sure that they can actually open what's in the lunch," Dr. Gurwitch says. "You don't want to send it and they get stuck and they're afraid to ask for help."

Finally, Dr. Gurwitch explains that setting a routine and simply just talking with your child will help lessen the anxiety throughout the school year.

"Structure is your friend. Structure really does help decrease that anxiety," Dr. Gurwitch says. "Communicate, stay involved. Find time everyday, or at least with the older kids, a few days a week, to have that family time together to talk about how things are going at school."