Anyone Else Have School Anxiety?

I'm feeling stressed out about school starting. Are you? I'm literally a little sick to my stomach when I think about getting the kids up at a certain time, the morning rush, homework every day, getting kids to activities and sticking to a bedtime schedule. It all seems too regimented to me. I prefer the relaxed days of summer.

I think the worst part for me is thinking about the after school hour when homework needs to be done, I'm fixing dinner, coordinating a playdate and preparing to get to a work or kid function for the evening. Just how many things can we parents do at once before we crack?

How are you feeling as the school bell is about to ring?

Comments

[Toni Schutta]

Tricia: Great to hear from you! Wow! 4 weeks out of the country sounds incredible.

I totally hear you about kids who prefer structure. It can be very tiring to be a parent and plan activities each day. On the other hand, as difficult as it is for some kids, I really see the benefit of allowing kids to fill up their own day sometimes and "forcing" them to use their imagination, or make an invention, or write and illustrate a story. What do you think?

In terms of organizational skills, I will just say that I think it's a learned skill! The more tools we can provide kids with to learn this, the better off they'll be. It's great you're thinking about this with a 3rd grader. You'll really have it nailed by the time she's in junior high.

I'll be doing a teleclass on homework strategies on Fri., Aug. 22 an noon CT. Let me know if you're interested. It has tons of GREAT information!

I hope you enjoy your new-found time alone. You deserve it!!!

[Toni Schutta]

Robin: Great idea! You are so wise (and disciplined) to start the routine-building before school starts. Kudos to you for sharing and for starting the new school year on the right foot.

[Tricia Moran]

Hi Toni and all - Tricia Moran here. I have to say that I actually PREFER the structure of school time presently, due to my daughter who is eight being a child who thrives on routine and structure and predictable days. The endless days of summer serve to frustrate her at times and she becomes moody and difficult if we have nothing planned. We have also been out of the country for just over four weeks visiting family and cousins, etc and this has lead to her craving her routines, I suspect. She has been very difficult since arriving home.

At the same time, I plan to give her more responsibility now that she is entering third grade. She is an incredibly bright voracious learner and reader, but has yet to figure out the value of organisational skills. I have always had problems with getting her to get her homework completed and herself organised for the day. I hope to help her this year by giving her a checklist and keeping her school things organised and with a specific routine, so that she (and me!) don't become overwhelmed. Hopefully, it will be a more positive experience for her allowing her rewards (of time and activities) for any improvement shown. As for my second and last child who is four and venturing out into a three morning a week pre-school; I have both feelings of sadness that he is growing up mixed with relief to claim those couple of hours to myself in order to study for a certification that I am doing, as well as write - as this is an aspiration that has been years on hold.

So yes, I would appreciate any feedback on help with my daughter's organisation and love to hear from anyone who can give advice or just wants to express their fears! Thanks for starting this and good luck to all as we face the new school experience!

Sincerely, Tricia

[Robin Duke]

Hi Toni,
For me this is a hard time of transitions, it means summer is at an end and fall is beginning. Abbi my daughter still likes getting started for school and that helps me but we still struggle with the getting up in the morning and going to bed earlier and of course homework. One of the things I do is help her get a routine started 2 weeks before school so she is starting to get her body to wake up and at night she lays out her clothes and we talk about what she is going to eat and how her morning is going to work. It is also less stress on me and I don't have to keep telling her over again to get up, she know what her responsiblity is in the morning and it works pretty good.
Robin Duke