The birds are chirping, the leaves and grass are a healthy shade of green, and temperatures are moderate. Ahh, spring.
While spring symbolizes rebirth, it also ushers in some endings. One
such ending is the school year. For many school-age children, it’s an
exciting time of year. Soon, they will be done with homework and off to
enjoy a carefree summer.
Yet for other students, particularly those who are graduating from
elementary, middle, or high school, or whose families are moving to a
new place with a new school, the end of the school year can be
stressful. They’re leaving a place they’ve grown familiar and
(hopefully) comfortable with, and are headed off to the unknown.
What can teachers and parents do to help their children/students
overcome that anxiety and enjoy the exciting time of school
endings/graduation?
Talking With Your Child
The lead up to graduation can induce nerves. Dr. Andrea Riskin of
ProPsych Associates of New Jersey (and mother of three) specializes in
parenting, the treatment of anxiety disorders, and ADHD. Dr. Riskin
says, “Parents should periodically check in with their child and pay
attention to the child’s behaviors.”
However, parents should not question the child excessively. The
conversation, according to Dr. Riskin should happen naturally and not
come completely out of the blue.
“For example, if your child is going to college and the two of you
are getting supplies for the dorm room, ask then. It makes senses to
have the conversation at that point. Ultimately, however, you need to
follow your child’s lead.”
And what exactly is a parent to ask?
Dr. Riskin says parents can ask their children such questions as,
“What are you anxious about? What are you afraid of?” She says the goal
of this is to, “understand their internal dialogue and help guide them
towards positive self- talk. For example, ‘I’m anxious about going to a
new school and at the same time I will go in with confidence and know
that I can thrive.'”
Past Successes
One way to encourage positivity in your children is to help them remember past challenges overcome.
David Stanley is an author
and veteran teacher (and a parent of one) whose experience includes 13
years in a rural public school in South East Michigan and two years in a
private high school in Flint, Michigan. Recently, Stanley was talking
with a student — we’ll call him Joseph. Joseph, who is heading off to
the University of Michigan next fall, is the first in his family to go
to college. As the school year has neared its conclusion, Joseph’s
anxiety has grown.