It’s not just the children who begin school for the very first time that experience anxiety. As a former teacher I can tell you that most anxious children I have worked with have had anxious parents who have allowed their own worries to be passed onto their children. As a parent you need to keep your worries to yourself.

Instead, you can lovingly help your children through this anxiety by trying some of the strategies that I have outlined below and having a positive outlook on the new school year.

1. The very first step I would recommend is to have children complete a Worry Ladder (see downloadable activity). For this Worry Ladder your child should only write the things that are worrying them specifically about starting school.
2. Once they have completed the Worry Ladder you can sit with them to discuss each worry and help them to sort each worry into the four different “Putting Worries into Perspective Circles”.
   • Impossible Circle – These are the things that once you have discussed you realise that it is just not going to happen, so they shouldn’t worry about it at all.
   • Unlikely Circle – These are the things that once you discuss you realise that while they could happen, the chances are so, so small, so your child shouldn’t spend their precious time worrying about this.
   • Likely Circle – These are the things that are most likely going to happen but when you talk it through with your child, they realise it really isn’t that bad and they will be okay.
   • Someone Else’s Problem Circle – These are the things that your child should not be worrying about at all because they are someone else’s problem to solve.
3. If your child struggles to place a worry into any of the circles, you can discuss “worst case scenario” with them to help them realise that even in the “worst case scenario” they are going to be okay. (Please note that these activities and discussions are really important to help you facilitate conversations with your child.)
4. When you talk about starting the new school year with your children, speak positively — especially when it comes to talking about the teacher. You need to explain to your child that the best way to have a good start to the year with the new teacher is to understand that:
   • The teacher is going to need time to get to know each of his/her students, and your child will need time to get to know their teacher.
   • You must not listen to what everyone else says about the teacher. Make up your own mind.
   • Every teacher is going to be different. They have different personalities and different classroom rules. We have to learn to get on with all different types of people in the world, so this is a great life lesson.
   • Your teacher will appreciate it if you greet them with a smile, make eye contact, shake their hand and say, “Hello, my name is …”
   • Your teacher will think highly of you if you show respect at all times and listen carefully to your teacher’s instructions.
   • Your teacher loves children with manners.
   • Your teacher only expects you to do your best.
   • Your teacher is a human just like the rest of us, so she/he is going to have good and bad days too.
5. Remind your children that everyone feels uncomfortable with change, but change is something that needs to happen often as we grow up and become the person we are meant to be.
6. Use Meshell and The Magic String of Shells from The Third Edition Magic Coat book to remind your child that you are never far away.

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