New School Year and a Mother’s Increasing Anxiety
Events in life are always filled with changes. That is one thing you can count on: change is going to happen. You can create a routine and be living your best life everyday, but a change is going to occur. The most successful people are able to deal with life’s changes optimally. Are you challenged when you have to deal with change? Does it cause an increase in your anxiety?
This time of year creates anxiety for me. It always has. It is that change from summer to the new school year. When I was younger, it was a different type of anxiety.
- Who will be in my classes?
- Do I have everything I need?
- Will I be able to do the work?
- Which teachers will be the most difficult?
- Will I enjoy my classes?
Now my anxiety focuses on my children. Probably many of the same questions but for them ( x3). I want my children to enjoy learning, be caring to their peers, and be successful in school. You probably have the same of similar goals for your own children.
Most of the things I was anxious about and continue to be anxious about, I can control the outcome to an extent. It just takes some effort to reach the desired outcomes. But the anxiety returns every year. Now, the intensity of the anxiety is less, but it is still present.
Do you experience school-driven anxiety? What are your coping strategies?
Explore the blog for some ways to decrease your anxiety. I have focused on different ways that have been beneficial to me and I know will assist you in gaining more control over your anxiety. Here is a list of the latest posts.
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Ways to decrease anxiety
Perform self care
Discover what you enjoy and schedule time with yourself to build up you. Self care should be a regular part of your routine. Does this mean every week? Maybe not depending on your schedule, but it needs to be part of your schedule. You have to make time for you and what you enjoy doing by yourself. Self care time allows you to learn more about who you are. It aids with self improvement because you can reflect on those areas that are less than desirable in part of your character. Self care is not always going to the spa. It is sometimes asking yourself the hard questions so you can improve.
Set a focus for your day
Decide what you need to accomplish on a certain day. That is where you should focus your energy. Yes, it would be great to accomplish more each day, but let’s just accomplish that main thing first. Using a single task for your focus will allow you to be more intentional about what activities you perform and help you with limiting distractions.
Plan your day/week
When you are able to decide what is next and what you will participate in each day, you can decrease your feelings of anxiousness. You can see what events are ahead which allows you to determine what will be accepted of you. Having clear expectations is a great way to allow yourself to excel in tasks and prepare for what is coming up in the future.
Ask for help
- Can I help you?
- What do you need from me?
- How can I make your day easier?
Moms want to do it all. We are equipped to be the center of our family and remain that way as the family goes through various stages of growing. But we have to understand that we don’t have to do it alone. Hopefully, you have a spouse, family, or friends you can lean on. Searching for a support group is a challenge, but is so important. Once you find those individuals who are able to provide you support, ask for help when needed.
Remember to ask those in your circle if they need anything from you. You may have the answer to what someone is searching for.
Your children’s anxiety and ways to decrease it
Assist them in planning their day/week
You gain control when you are able to plan out your daily tasks. Your children are no different. Help them to look at upcoming events and tasks they have to complete each week. This is especially helpful during the school year to aid with the completion of projects and assignments.
Talk to them
This may seem obvious however we talking is not always our go-to when we interact with our children. Many times, we tell them what they need to do or speak with them about things that are incomplete. BUT we need to talk to them. Find out what their dreams are. Find out what makes them happy. Find out what upsets them. This information can allow you to provide them with guidance as they develop coping mechanisms during personal challenges.
Do a fun activity/ creative activity with them
Laughter can release positive internal body responses that can elevate your mood. Having fun as a family is a wonderful way to release anxiety. Game night and movie nights are family events that work well for this. You can add these events to your weekly schedule. Communication during these activities is less formal usually resulting in a more open dialogue.
Supporting your children through life’s changes
One of our greatest assignments as parents are to support our children through everything they go through. Sometimes this is a challenge because we are going through things as well. Sometimes this is a challenge because we want to do what we want when we want and not have to be concerned with everyone else. Despite these feelings, we have to be that support to our children.
Our children may be dealing directly with something that we have not ever had any experience with. This can increase our anxiety as parents. We first have to address our feelings and then we are better equipped to assist our children. The habits we help them establish when they are young translate directly to what successful characteristics they will exhibit as they age.
Resources about childhood anxiety
Information from CDC about Childhood Anxiety https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/depression.html
Information on what to look for if you believe your child has anxiety that is affecting their daily life https://www.anxioustoddlers.com/missed-child-anxiety/#.YR52US9h01I
National Alliance on Mental Health
Sometimes you may need additional support beyond what you or those around you can provide. Please reach out for support.
- If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, seek help. If it is an emergency, call 911.
- If you are looking for assistance that is non-emergent, reach out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness https://www.nami.org/help.
- The NAMI HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., ET. 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org
- You can also text NAMI at Text NAMI to 741-741.Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.
I am not a doctor of mental health, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a counselor. I am a wife, mother of 3 children, and an entrepreneur who has numerous life experiences that I utilize to create blog posts, as well as personal research that I perform. Thank you for reading this post and share with others you know will benefit from this information!
Take control of your anxiety and flourish in all areas of your life!
Let’s support each other through this time of changing seasons. Share how you get through in the comments below.
Be you, be focused, be well! Find Your Flourish! |Shanna|
[…] area that always awakens my mom guilt is learning activities. I also experience school related anxiety. It stems from all the unknowns. I end up with guilt and anxiety when we transition from summer to […]
I’m not a parent, but I guess one way of helping reduce a mother/parents anxiety about the children returning to school would be to find out what it is that’s making them anxious about them going to school, and then seeing what can be done to address those anxious concerns
Thank you for taking your time to read this post and comment on it! Identification of being anxious as well as ways to address these concerns helps in all areas of life. Returning to school is not any different. I believe the key is remaining consistent with what things help ease anxiety in order to get through it. |Shanna|
This was a very much needed post for me thank you! My daughter starts Reception this week, going in full time – she is more than ready for it but I am the one whose nervous! How will she cope with all those hours away from home? Will she eat her lunch? Will she go to the toilet?!! So this was useful. Thank you again!
Soffy- Wishing you and your daughter a smooth and exciting start! I am glad you were able to find something that you can use during this time. We have to remind ourselves that one of the things we do as parents I ready these children for a level of independence and time away from us…..so nerve wracking but it can be done. And the children will succeed! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. |Shanna|
You got that right! Showing up for our children and supporting them through changes, especially with the new school year – can be hard when we are anxious ourselves. However, your practical tips drive parents to seek solutions to ease those anxieties. Thanks for sharing your ways to help manage school anxiety.
Jordan- Thank you for your comment. I hope that mothers can find something to help with their anxiety in this post. When school starts and throughout the school year, some changes create anxiety for everyone. It is hard but we can get through it and help our children at the same time. |Shanna|