New school year stress? Here’s how to prevent back to school anxiety

MIAMI VALLEY — Many kids in the Miami Valley area are heading back to school — and some may be worried about the first day of class.

There’s a lot of work that goes into preparing for a new school year. Teachers are getting their classrooms ready for students and students are stocking up on supplies for the year.

“New teachers, new book bags, clothes supplies. It’s an exciting time of the year,” said Isaac Seevers, superintendent of Greeneview Local School District.

While some kids are excited for the new school year, others can find it overwhelming.

Some students become stressed out or are even scared before they walk into the building, according to Seevers.

“The fire alarms, the safety drills. The things that make them think they’re not safe all time,” he said. “Those are big anxiety causes for us.”

Seevers explained that talking with kids about potential stress triggers is important. It’s also key to focus on the things they like about school, such as who they’re looking forward to seeing and what activities they like do.

In addition to mentally preparing for school, kids also need to be physically ready.

“Kids’ bodies need time to adjust, so getting back into a normal bedtime routine, getting up, eating breakfast,” Seevers said. “Trying to get back into a consistent pattern is really important for kids so the first week they’re ready to go.”

Experts say that doing a little preparation now will make the new school year a lot easier.

If your kid still has concerns about what’s going to happen in the classroom, contact your school district and keep the conversation going at home.