There are many occasions in the life of the school where your child can feel unsettled and in some cases it can affect their learning. Social issues can be a big matter of concern for your child as well as feeling a sense of success in the classroom. To a large degree, your child will need to work through many of these issues themselves, but as a parent, there are strategies that can help them reduce the pressure.

School is a joint project between parent and child.

School should be an exciting environment where a child feels secure in their learning, successful in their social world and happy to be part of school life.

Here are some thoughts on how to ease your child’s stress when it comes to facing school.

Be a parent who talks about school frequently. Make it part of your family conversation. Try to engage your child in conversations about school life and in no way put a sense of judgement on what they have to say. Let them talk freely so that you gauge how they feel about school and what is on their mind. Let them see how interested you are in their school life.
Be present at school where possible. This may mean joining a committee or helping with the lunch orders. The more you are connected to the school, the safer your child will feel. You will have more in common with your child by having more to talk about at home.
Have conversations with your child’s teacher on a regular basis. This does not mean having long protracted meetings but rather casual chats. This is another measure of reassurance for your child that you are in a healthy relationship with their teacher.
Attend all the school events, especially their sports activities. This demonstrates that you are interested in your child and you are happy to be a participant in any form. Let them see that for you the school has much to offer.
A child’s friends from school mean a lot to them. They provide emotional reassurance and warm feelings of being happily fulfilled. Invite them home and create an environment where home and school are fluid and all are welcome.
Positive and supportive relationships in and around the school strengthen a child’s sense of security. They feel less threatened when things go wrong and are more inclined to talk to you about school problems.
Talk positively in front of your child about the school, their teacher and the community. Children become confused when they hear negative talk about school matters or people at school.
Celebrate the achievements of your child at school but also promote the school in general. Let your child know that it is an important educational institution that you are proud in which to have your child taught.
If a problem develops and your child talks about a matter at school that is unsettling, listen carefully and together plan an approach that is fair and reasonable. Talking first to the teacher is a critical part of solving problems quickly. Teach your child that schools are just ordinary places where from time to time things can go wrong. Let them see how to solve the problem rather than moving away from it. Teach them to be resilient and deal with matters.
For a child to be motivated and happy in school they will need to feel successful. You can help by reminding them of their successes and how impressed you are with the efforts and choices they make over the school weeks. Never underestimate how progressive affirmation reinforces happy feelings.
Keep an eye on your child’s physical stature. Tired children are not happy at school. If they are unwell they also feel miserable at school and perform poorly. A hearty lunch with healthy food and of course a little treat sparks the child up after a morning session. How about leaving a reassuring note in their lunch box?

School should be an exciting environment where a child feels secure in their learning, successful in their social world and happy to be part of school life. They cannot do this in isolation given that their fundamental world spins around their well being in the family. They need you, the parent to join them in their quest to be happy and successful. They also hope that you will create a sense of excitement for this major milestone in their life, school.

‘The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.’
- B B King