Tips For Kids of All Ages Dealing With the Anxiety With Going Back to School

For many kids going back to school brings the usual dread of summer fun being behind them and back to school, with that can be some anxiety for various reasons. KARE11  spoke with Dr. Annie Hansen-Burke, a Senior Lecturer with the University of Minnesota's Department of Educational Psychology and she made some good points about what kids go through when it is time to go back to school.

This is not just for younger kids, High School and College age kids may experience this as well. For younger kids, tantrums, crying and clinginess to their parents is normal but if this continues for weeks on end, parents need to investigate this further. Dr. Hansen-Burke recommends these 3 tips:

1. Help normalize their feelings, talk to them about it and stay positive
2. Help prepare them about what to expect, tour the school, and meet with teachers
3. Practice their routine, going to bed, picking out their clothes and how they are getting home.

I know for myself when I was in grade school I was always worried when school first started if I would get on the right bus to get home. As a parent it is so important to look for any changes in your child's behavior and do your best to try to get to the bottom of it. Also if they have siblings, talk to them, sometimes kids will reach out to a brother or sister about things that are bothering them before talking to a parent or guardian. For more great ideas to help with the transition Click Here.