Helping Your Child Manage New Teacher Worries

Helping Your Child Manage New Teacher Worries

In our last post, we explored why children might feel anxious about new teachers. Now, let's look at some practical strategies to help your little one cope with these worries.

1. Label That Thought!

Encourage your child to give their anxious thoughts a label. When they're worrying, they can say, "Oh, I'm having a 'what if' thought right now." This simple act can help them step back and not get caught up in the worry spiral.

2. The 'What If' List

Sit down together and make a list of all the 'what if' thoughts your child is having. For example:

• What if the teacher is strict?
• What if I can't do the work?
• What if I don't make any friends?

Writing these thoughts down can make them less scary and more manageable.

3. Butterfly Hug

This is a lovely, soothing exercise for anxious moments:

• Cross your arms over your chest, like you're giving yourself a hug.
• Gently tap your shoulders alternately with your hands.
• Take slow, deep breaths as you do this.
  
  

This simple action can help calm the body and mind.

4. Positive 'What Ifs'

Balance out those worrying thoughts by coming up with positive 'what ifs':

• What if the teacher is really kind?
• What if I learn exciting new things?
• What if I make a great new friend?

5. One Day at a Time

Remind your child that they don't need to figure everything out at once. Encourage them to focus on just one day, or even one hour, at a time.

Remember, it's normal for children (and adults!) to feel a bit anxious about new situations. By practising these techniques together, you're giving your child valuable tools to manage their worries, not just about school, but in all areas of life.

If you like this, come and find lots of resources and support in the Learnful Family. We meet once a month online to share practices, tips and a have a chat about parent self-regulation. I'd love to see you :-)