INDIANAPOLIS — Back-to-school is an exciting time of the year for students. New grade level, new teachers, new friends, but with all that excitement comes a lot of anxiety, especially for the big first day.
WRTV caught up with a psychologist about back-to-school anxiety and ways parents can support their child during this transition.
"I'm nervous about, like, my teacher. And like, how much the work is going to be harder since I'm in a higher level," Zoee Johnson, a rising 3rd grader, said.
Zoee's mom, Tamika Scruggs, said her daughter has a lot of questions these days as she prepares for third grade.
"Well, she asked me questions like, 'Mommy, did you like school when you were in school?' And I said, 'Well, I'll be honest with you, I didn't like waking up early in the morning, but I was a great student,'" Scruggs said.
Anxious questions, Scruggs said, are more frequent, especially after leaving Zoee's back-to-school night.
"Unfortunately, the principal shared with us that shortage of teachers, so her teacher left, I guess. So, we're waiting to find out who our teacher's going to be," Scruggs said.
And with Zoee's first day of school being Thursday, this was not an ideal situation.
"I'm just like ready to see if I have like a good teacher or a bad teacher,” said Johnson. “Having a good class and no yelling like 2nd grade, because you don't want to know, but yeah"
"Even though she's had some great teachers, I mean, you go to the school, and you find out you don't know who her teacher is, or you find out a couple of days later, and that's kind of the downside," Scruggs said.
"As a psychologist, I see this kind of back-to-school anxiety all the time," Dr. Beth Trammell, a professor of psychology at IU East, said.
Dr. Trammell said back-to-school can be tough on both students and parents.
"I think the thing to remember is that anxiety is usually rooted in fear. And you may be tempted to tell your kid, 'Oh, there's nothing to worry about. You don't have to be afraid.' But actually, they're already a little bit nervous, or they're a little afraid, or they're a little anxious. And so instead of telling them not to worry, instead, as parents, we can say, 'Hey, tell me what it is that your mind tells you might happen. What is it that you're a little bit nervous about? It's OK to be nervous.' Let's talk about what it is instead of, don't feel nervous," Dr. Trammell said.
A tip Scruggs has already tried with Zoee last school year.
"On the first day, her dad and I we attended school with her, and she's how she was really scared one time and almost ready to cry, but it gave her a sense of joy, and you know, walking to school with both her parents. I just kind of I'm honest with her, you know, about my experiences," Scruggs said.
"These back-to-school anxieties have been around for a long, long time. But I think as we continue to rebound from the pandemic, and kind of that lack of social skills that happened during that time. I think we're just gonna continue to see some of these things come up for our kids," Dr. Trammell said.
Dr. Trammell said open and honest conversations, which prompt your child to communicate their feelings, help a lot. And as for parents, she said, stay calm because that will only help put them at ease, or you can take this tip from Zoee.
"Sometimes, like what helps me calm down is taking deep breaths or thinking about how much fun I'm going to have," Johnson said.
According to the National Retail Foundation, 46% of back-to-school shoppers are willing to go into debt to buy items that would help their children fit in with their peers. Dr. Trammell at that point, it turns into parent anxiety driven and she can promise you, kids don't care that much. So don't break the bank.
