Anxiety Tips For Early Years Students

DUBAI, UAE - Sept. 18, 2018 - PRLog -- Anxiety and stress are no joke for any child and it's important not to dismiss your kid's feelings regardless of their age or how trivial a concern might be. Not handling anxiety well during their formative years may lead to stunted emotional maturity and growth later on. On top of that, your child may not want to trust you with their feelings if you don't help them out!

For Early Years students, one will find a variety of stressors that may contribute to anxiety. Given the timeliness of the school year soon starting, one thing to note is that a major stressor is the first day of class!

In today's blog entry, we provide tips for helping your Early Years Program child deal with some of the common anxiety problems that they'll be facing.

1. Establish a routine

Separation anxiety is an almost universal experience for young children being dropped off at school for the first time. You can help your child by establishing a routine and discussing expectations with them. Everything will be so new to them, so you can help make it easier by talking about specific steps once you drop them off. Something simple, such as, "When we get to school, we'll use the bathroom, then we'll look for your classroom together. After that, I will leave you alone with your new friends and your teacher." They'll feel more assured of themselves knowing what they'll be doing.

2. Say goodbye properly

When actually dropping them off, it may be difficult for them to separate in the first place. Your child may be crying or fussing over things. It's important to say a solid goodbye so that it doesn't seem like you disappeared, but it's also best not draw it out so that they can get the closure they need and start facing the challenge head-on. And on top of this, don't apologize for leaving them! They may feel like you don't want them to be there, or you're not comfortable about the place where you're leaving them. Rather than saying, "I'm sorry.  Mommy has to leave now," try "It's time for me to leave now.  Have a fun day! I will see you after storytime!"

3. Give them a family photo or a keepsake

Of course, your child will likely not take well to being left alone in an unfamiliar place. You can prepare them for this by giving them something that anchors them to their family. Have them keep a family photo or other keepsake that they can turn to whenever they feel the need.

4. Be on time when picking them up

When you pick them up, make sure you're not late, and arrive at the agreed-upon time, so they don't experience anxiety worrying about where you are while seeing all their other classmates getting picked up by parents.

5. Ask for help from us!

At Swiss International School in Dubai (http://sisd.ae/), we pride ourselves in how we treat our students like family, providing them with a pastoral care environment which nurtures them as well as educates them. Our faculty and staff will always be willing to lend a helping hand in acclimatizing your child to the new environment and making them feel at home. Just ask if you're having a rough time!