Preventing Back to School First Day Jitters

The first day of school can be the scariest of the year. How can you reduce you and your child's anxiety the first day? There are some steps parents can take to make sure the first day of school is one of the best days of the year.

~Talk to them about the reasons for their anxiety.

Find out why your child is feeling stressed about heading back to school. Is it a certain subject, bullies, teachers, or heading to a new school? All of these issues and more are likely to be reasons behind your child not feeling their best about school.

Remind your child how you used to feel before going back to school. Find positive aspects of the new year for them to focus on. Kids like to hear about the fun parts of school. Also focus on aspects of school you know they are truly interested in, such as any electives.

~Talk about the past.

Make your child feel comfortable by reminding them of previous years. Talk to them about how their fears were based on nothing but first day jitters. Get your child to participate in the conversation. Ask them about what they liked on the first day last year. Just talking about their first day adventures may be just the thing to cheer them up and calm them down.

~Find out what they want to accomplish this year.

Ask your child what they are looking forward to this year. Talk to them about their goals. Maybe it's to excel at a certain subject, or to try out for their favorite sport. Use their goals to motivate them. This gives them something to be excited about, instead of focusing on their uncertainties. By sharing in their enthusiasm, both you and your child will feel a little better about the first day of school.

~Be organized.

Have everything prepared for the first day. Nothing causes more stress than scrambling about looking for school supplies, trying to find the right clothes, or hurrying to make breakfast on the first morning of the school year.

Have the backpack already packed the night before and placed where you or your child can find it in the morning. Make sure your child's clothes are laid out the night before as well. This allows you and your child to work through any clothing kinks before a hectic morning, especially if you have a teenager.

Being prepared for the first day of school can greatly calm the first day jitters.

Students and even parents may feel at least a little stress the first day of school. However, following the advice above may help reduce the anxiety, creating a great first day of school for your child.