School anxiety can pop up for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the signs to watch for: your child starts asking “what if” questions about school, has a change in sleep patterns, or shows physical symptoms like a change in appetite.

If your child is experiencing anxiety, here are three simple ways to help them melt their worry and grow their self-confidence:

Reframe “smart.” 

There are many ways to be smart. And, your child’s ultimate success in life is not solely determined by their performance relative to their grade level. 

Work with your child to make a list of strengths that have nothing to do with grades. Consciously affirm and reinforce them to keep optimistic thoughts top-of-mind. 

Show them one-size-does-not-fit-all. 

Figure out your child’s learning style with a quiz. It’s fun to have the whole family take a quiz, to make it clear that there is more than one learning style.

Once you know your child’s learning style, you can better support their individual strengths and find more opportunities for growth in and out of the classroom. 

Help them with their “anticipatory anxiety.”

A child’s mind with anticipatory anxiety is a mind full of “what ifs.”

When you help our child name their worries, you can acknowledge their fear and help them build coping tools. 

• Learn to reframe the fear, if possible, and develop positive counter-thoughts. 
• Visit the school during off-hours to run through classroom changes.
• Set up a parent-teacher-child conference and bring their what-if questions to the meeting.  

Whatever your approach to managing school anxiety, take your child’s concerns seriously and watch their feeling of safety and security blossom.  

Good luck! And remember, progress over perfection.