Kiddipedia
After weeks of learning virtually from home, it’s finally time for our kids to go back to the classroom. While some will inevitably find the transition back to school easy and exciting, others will find the shift challenging and filled with anxiety.
As mental health charity Mental Health UK points out, everyone’s experience of the pandemic has been slightly different. As a result, some children may be experiencing anxious feelings about being around people for an extended period of time, becoming sick with COVID-19, keeping up with learning at school and being away from their family.
Fortunately, we’ve learnt a lot throughout this pandemic that we can apply to reduce stress and manage the emotional waves that your child – and perhaps you, too – might experience as physical classes resume.
Open the lines of communication
Give children the opportunity to talk about their feelings in an open, honest way. Encourage them to share their feelings and experiences, and let them know that whatever feelings they are experiencing are normal and that it’s okay to talk about them.
Anticipating how your child will feel could do more harm than good, so try to have an open mind when engaging in these discussions with your child. Ask your child about how they feel with the genuine intent of learning and then respond accordingly.
Ask more than simply ‘how was your day?’. Consider questions like: ‘what did you learn that was new today?’, ‘did anything make you sad today?’, ‘what did you do that was kind to another person?’, ‘what challenged you today and why?’.
It can also help to discuss some things that your child can do to feel calm during times of uncertainty. These might include writing down their concerns and placing them in a worry jar or doing meditation or mindfulness practices.
Keep them focused on a positive future by talking about exciting events coming up such as sports days or fun projects. Where possible, encourage them to focus on the positive aspects of school, while still allowing room for your child to share their worries and concerns.
ClickView offers free videos about mental health for all ages which make great discussion starters, in addition to guided meditations and mindfulness exercises.
Staying safe
Opening schools after an extended period of lockdown is undoubtedly going to involve some new processes and protocols that your child will be asked to follow. Ask your child’s school to keep you informed of any changes at school such as additional hygiene practices or how sport or extra-curricular activities may work.
Be open and honest with your child about the virus but reassure them that with good hygiene practices like handwashing, sanitiser, masks and social distancing, they can stay healthy and safe.
Explain the importance and purpose of these new practices to your child, so they understand why they’re happening. This will also help children who are feeling anxious about the virus to recognise that their school is doing everything possible to keep them safe in the classroom.
Tackling separation anxiety
Separation anxiety was a relatively common issue with children before the pandemic, and has since been exacerbated by staying at home and growing used to having parents nearby essentially 24/7.
If your child has been known to experience separation anxiety in the past, it’s likely that the return to in-person schooling could make it flare up again. If your child has severe separation anxiety, discuss the possibility of a phased approach to in-person learning with your child’s school.
Prepare them by slowly increasing the amount of time they’re separated from you outside of school – whether it’s leaving them with a relative, taking them to a class or club, or having them visit a friend’s house – and increase the time apart as they grow in confidence. As the periods of separation increase, your child will eventually realise that they can always trust you to return, and that these new experiences can be both fun and enjoyable.
It’s perfectly normal for children to be anxious and nervous about the return to some form of ‘normal’ – it’s a shared reality for children and adults alike. The good news is that by talking openly, listening to concerns, and allowing space and time to adjust to the reality of school in a pandemic, there’s a good chance that your child will enjoy a positive transition back to the classroom.
About Delvene Neilson:
Delvene Neilson is an experienced educator and has taught at secondary schools across Adelaide and the UK. She is the head of customer success at ClickView, an online education company that provides over 4,500 schools, colleges and universities with access to high-quality, relevant, and interactive curriculum-aligned video resources.
Championed as ‘The Netflix of education’, ClickView’s content is used by over 70% of secondary schools in Australia. New video releases are produced in conjunction with subject experts and Australian teachers and added to the library every six weeks. ClickView has been producing and distributing its innovative and impactful video content online since 2003.
