HERE’S A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO HELP YOUR KIDS NAVIGATE SCHOOL ANXIETY

The countdown has officially begun with the end of summer in our sights, giving way to the dawn of a new school year. With the excitement of back-to-school shopping and all that comes along with getting prepared for the new year, there is something else that children often actually struggle with, anxiety. Parent having a positive moment with child. ADOBE STOCK IMAGES Children of all ages can experience going back-to-school anxiety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), worries and fears are typical in childhood, but when those fears become “persistent or extreme” and interfere with daily life, it’s more likely to fall under the category of anxiety. Statistics show that 9.4 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 17 were diagnosed with anxiety between 2016 and 2019, a percentage that is growing yearly. “If anxiety is not recognized and goes untreated, it can have effects on all aspects of a child’s life – like school performance, ability to socialize, and general well-being,” child psychiatrist Willough Jenkins, PhD, told PopSugar in a recent interview. Of course, parents should be on the lookout for both physical and non-physical signs that their child is stressed about school...