Starting a new school term can be a nerve-racking experience that comes with many challenges like settling into a new classroom with a new teacher and classmates, adjusting to new ways of learning, timetables and recreation schedules.
Much of this can seem daunting to your children and, while you wish you could take the nerves away, it is actually better to help them build resilience – that way they know help themselves all the time, even when you’re not there.
Here are some top tips:
• Make connections - Teach your child the importance of engaging and connecting with their peers, including the skill of empathy and listening to others.
• Help your child by having them help others - Children who may feel helpless can feel empowered by helping others. Engage your child in age-appropriate volunteer work or ask for assistance yourself with tasks that they can master.
• Maintain a daily routine - Sticking to a routine can be comforting to children, especially younger children who crave structure in their lives.
• Teach self-care - This may be making more time to eat properly, exercise, and get sufficient sleep. Make sure your child has time to have fun and participate in activities they enjoy.
• Move toward goals - Teach your child to set reasonable goals and help them to move toward them one step at a time. Establishing goals will help children focus on a specific task and can help build the resilience to move forward in the face of challenges.
• Nurture a positive self-view - Help your child remember ways they have successfully handled hardships in the past and help them understand that these past challenges help build the strength to handle future challenges.
• Keep things in perspective and maintain a hopeful outlook - Even when your child is facing challenging events, help them look at the situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective.
• Look for opportunities for self-discovery - Tough times are often when children learn the most about themselves. Help your child take a look at how whatever they’re facing can teach them an important lesson.
• Accept change - Help your child see that change is part of life and new goals can replace goals that have become unattainable. It is important to examine what is going well, and to have a plan of action for what is not going well.
Written with thanks to APA.
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