Lowering a Child’s Stress and Anxiety When Returning Back to School
The stress of going back to school.
It's something that parents and their children deal with every year and, as 2021 is looking very similar to 2020 as we continue to deal with the Coronavirus Pandemic, parents are having to deal with an ongoing stress that is expected to go beyond just the start of school.
Hannah Comeaux, Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, acknowledged the stressors that COVID-19 brings as she sat down with Bernadette Lee and Ian Auzenne.
"Yes, there is the fear of kids getting sick when they return to school," says Hannah Comeaux. "Parents or children may also be afraid of feeling behind when returning to school because of the many missed days at the end of the 2019-2020 school year combined with the summer months. Others may be concerned about the restrictions when returning to school, such as having to wear a mask or maintaining social distance from other kids."
Right now across the country, the debate continues about whether children should be wearing masks when they go back to the classroom. That's an issue that Attorney General Jeff Landry is sparring with Governor John Bel Edwards over following Edwards' re-implementing of the statewide mask mandate, including in the schools.
“This absolutely is between BESE and the local school districts to determine the day-to-day safe and healthy decisions for students in public schools, not the Governor, “ said Landry to Louisiana Radio Network.
To which Edwards responded in the same article, "Not only is he wrong, he is going out of his way to undermine public confidence in the basic mitigation measures that will slow transmission at a time that we need it more than ever. The fact of the matter is I have the authority and obligation under the current circumstances to declare public health emergencies.”
Hannah Comeaux offers these tips for lowering stress and anxiety as you prepare to return your child to school soon.
Lowering a Child’s Stress and Anxiety When Returning Back to School