How do I help my child with anxiety about starting school?

Whether a child is starting at a brand-new school or just a new school year in a new classroom, everything is new, and that can cause anxiety. Social Stories and preparing beforehand can help a child manage anxiety about returning to school.

Education Advocate Lisa Carey also recommends talking to your child's teacher and explaining that this is happening. Communicate what happened in the morning before school, for example, and ask for their advice. The teacher might have something that worked in the past or with previous experience.

Here are some articles with more tips that can help:

• Motivational Strategies for Going Back to School
• Managing Back-to-School Stress and Anxiety: Tips from 4 Anxiety Specialists at CARE-LA
• How to Navigate Stress and Anxiety as a Family: Tips from Marriage and Family Therapist Diane Simon Smith
• 4 Tips for Communicating with Your Child’s Teacher