We are just getting to that time of year when the summer holidays are almost over and the new school year starts. Many families find this to be a really difficult time. Starting school, going to a new school or even into a new year can cause anxiety to become raised in kids.
I work with kids in school and privately and so many express their worries about going into the next academic year. What will be expected of them, will they be with friends, will they get on with their teacher, will they cope with the workload? All of these things can be on the mind of even the youngest of children.
After a summer of fun and hanging out with friends, going back to the Monday to Friday routine of school can be really nerve wracking for many kids. Teenagers particularly struggle with having to get up in the morning and back to school. As they move through puberty, teenagers need sleep at different times and being difficult to get up in the morning isn’t laziness in all cases.
The teenage brain is changing as much as when the baby brain is developing in the first few years of life. We can all think back to when we suffered teenage angst. The worry about how we look, how others see us and whether we are going to succeed or fail. This is completely normal but as a parent can be really frustrating, particularly if they were playing computer games into the small hours.
If you are finding it hard to communicate with your kids, I can help you to support them through this time and I can help them to learn coping strategies and learn how to put their thoughts and feelings into perspective.
Going back to school doesn’t have to be hard. Everyone experiences school in a different way and there is no right or wrong way to feel about it.
Take care.
Victoria Warwick-Jones Counselling 