How To Avoid Chaos and Create A Stress Free School Year

A Stress Free School Year

There is only one week left. There are shoes, books and pencils to buy. New clothes to sort. And along with this excitement there might be stress and fears about new teachers, new classmates, and changes brought on by the pandemic.

As a parent, I think …

One of our toughest jobs is helping our kids address their stress Beverly Beuermann-King Click to tweet

… and go confidently into something new.

Here Are A Couple Of Tips To Help Your Children Have A Stress Free School Year From Our S-O-S: From Surviving To Thriving With Stress workshops:

Anticipate And Problem Solve – Children usually respond to problems in three ways – deny, act impulsively/aggressively, or search for a solution. Parents can help children by reviewing possible situations beforehand. Start positively – talk about the great new things that your child will get to do this year. Talk about the process of meeting new friends – how did they have make them before? Discuss what to do if someone doesn’t want to be your child’s friend. As a stress coach, help children find the appropriate strategies to address these types of difficulties.
Have Predictable Schedules – Prepare for homework. When will it be done? Where will it be done? Guide children towards selecting a regular time and an appropriate place for learning. Place a calendar of all activities, events, and chores on a wall or fridge, so that the child can look ahead and know what to expect from those around them. Predictability helps to relieve anxieties around separation or change.
Be A Strong Role Model – Be aware of your child’s self-talk, self-perception and beliefs. Counteract any negativity and self-doubt with positive affirmations and recounts of their abilities. Remind them of their support circle. Remind them of who can they talk to, ask for help from, vent to, question and share with. Build a relationship based on love and trust. Say ‘I love you’ and ‘I’m proud of you’. Play together, read with them, ask questions, and tell them stories of good or difficult situations that you have faced. But most of all – Take care of yourself, as you are a special gift to them.

Beverly’s Hot Tip For Building Resilience Through A Stress Free School Year:

Help your children have a stress free school year and learn to cope with their life by anticipating potential sources of stress, talking about new situations to make them as predictable as possible for them, and by being a strong role model on how to positively handle difficult situations by taking care of yourself.