If your child is suffering from back to school jitters you have come to the right place. The following are some great tips for helping kids deal with back to school jitters so that they can enjoy their first day.
Step one: Get them informed.
One of the top reasons for back to school jitters is being overwhelmed by things. They don’t know where their classes are, or how to find the lunchroom, or which bus they ride. When they have been properly shown around the school, can work their locker combination without a problem, feel confident that they can get to and from school just fine, and have an idea of where they will eat, they feel far more comfortable with the idea of school. The more information they master, the less jitters they will feel.
Step two: Help them feel safe.
Another fear many kids have is that of their safety. This is especially true for the younger grades, or kids new to a school. Review safety procedures such as looking both ways before crossing a street, staying seated on the bus, and of course not talking to strangers. Also talk to them about what your family would do if there was ever an emergency situation. The more prepared they feel, the safer they will feel, and the fewer jitters they will have.
Step three: Address the friend and meeting people issues.
Most back to school jitters are directly related to the social aspect of school. Kids are afraid that they won’t have friends in their classes, that they won’t fit in, that people won’t notice them, or notice them for the wrong reasons. We all need human relationships and contact, and it is important to alleviate those fears. Help your child be excited at the prospect of making new friends, and help them understand how that works, and what they can do to be the kind of person people want to be friends with.
Step four: Plan ahead.
Jitters start to disperse when kids know what classes they will be taking, where they can go for help if needed, what tools and supplies are required, and have them, etc. The more you prepare and plan ahead, school shop, and make arrangements for contingencies, the less nervous kids will be. Let them know what they will be learning, what you can do to make it easier, and how you will find them help if necessary. It will help take the pressure off the academic side of going back to school.
Step five: Make it fun.
Going back to school jitters are normal, and one excellent way to tone them down is to add some fun. Let the child participate in back to school shopping, plan some fun activities for the first week back in school, do some crafts or art surrounding back to school, or whatever your child will like and find to be fun.