Sarah Spina-Matthews News
StudiosAhead of children returning to school for the new term, presenter and trained counsellor Katie Thistleton has been giving parents some tips on what to look out for and how they can help.
A new school year can bring new teachers and new classes and, if it is time to move from primary to secondary school, almost everything could be new and unfamiliar.
Speaking to Radio Manchester, Thistleton said it was perfectly normal for pupils to have first-day jitters and there were some things parents and carers can do to help.
There are also plenty more tips available on Bitesize’s new Guide to School Life.
‘Reframe anxiety’
Thistleton said one way to help kids calm back-to-school nerves was to remind them about the exciting parts of starting a new school year.
“Something I really like to do is reframe that anxiety as excitement because it’s the same feeling in your body – those butterflies that might keep you up at night,” she said.
“Remind them that it’s the type of feeling they might get before their birthday or the night before Christmas, because they probably are feeling excited as well.”
She said it was also important to accept that some jitters were inevitable, especially the night before the first day back.
“Don’t put pressure on that first night in terms of getting sleep, they might not sleep very well that night and I think that’s okay,” she said.
‘Be prepared’
Thistleton said another tip to help young people feel less stressed was to help them feel as prepared for school as possible.
She said that could mean getting school bags packed in advance, preparing lunches prepared or laying out uniforms the night before.
But, if it is time to start at a new school, it could also mean doing a “reccy” of the new location.
“Can you, as a parents, go with the child and practice the route?” she said.
She also recommended planning something nice for the weekend after the first week back, so there was something relaxing to look forward to after a stressful few days.
‘Talk it out’
Thistleton said it could help to remind children that you know what they’re going through, but admitted that getting some to speak about their feelings could be like “getting blood from a stone”.
“The most important thing is to let them know that even though they might think it was a very long time ago and you’re ancient, you did go to school for the first time once and you know what its like to make that leap,” she said.
She said it was also important to encourage kids to speak to their friends.
“They might think their friends feel really chill about it… but probably they’re worried about the same thing,” she said.
