5 tips for back-to-school anxiety!
The summer holidays are almost at an end, and over the next week young people across the UK will be starting a new year at school! Whilst lots of foster children will be excited to see their friends, some may feel anxious about returning. It’s natural to feel worried after a big break – especially after such disrupted learning over the last 18-months – but, there are ways you can help your foster child cope with back-to-school anxiety!
Talk about it!
Talking about their anxiety is the first step to helping your foster child cope with it. Have an open discussion with them about what they’re feeling, why they’re feeling it, and realistic ways you can help them. Sometimes, just talking about it can make a person feel better! If you feel comfortable doing so, try talking about your own experience with anxiety, and show your foster child it’s completely normal to feel anxious about a big event!
Find coping mechanisms!
It may be something as simple as a lucky charm they can hold on to when they’re panicking, or it might be some deep breathing exercises – whatever you choose, showing your foster child a way to calm themselves down in stressful situations is a great way to alleviate back-to-school worries! Why not spend an evening practising coping techniques together?
Get into a routine!
Those lie-ins may feel great now, but it will only make the first day back at school feel even worse! Start putting on early alarms and make sure your foster child eats breakfast and gets dressed in the morning. That way, it won’t be such a shock to their system when school starts, and they can get used to an early wake-up call!
Plan fun activities!
If your foster child is feeling anxious about going back to school, why not give them something to look forward to? It doesn’t need to cost the Earth; but pizza for tea or an extra hour on the PlayStation would go a long way! If the weather’s nice, you could even have a day of fun activities outside, such as an afternoon at the theme park or swimming pool!
Talk to a teacher!
If you’ve tried the above points and you’re still worried your foster child will struggle at school, talk to a teacher! Once they’re aware of the situation, they’ll be able to look for signs your foster child is finding school difficult, and help them as much as they can. Working closely with their teacher is a great way to provide extra support for your foster child, and give yourself a little bit of a reassurance, too!
With these 5 tips from Unity Foster Care, you can help alleviate your foster child’s back-to-school anxiety, and turn a stressful situation into a happy experience! Want to know more about Unity Foster Care and how you can help support a child in need? Call 0333 77 22 333 or start your foster care application here!