Last week, one school anxious child after another came into my office smiling and looking if not completely relaxed, then darn close to it. I could almost hear a collective sigh of relief because Thanksgiving was right around the corner and that meant no school for the next week. But the holiday is speeding by and on Monday, December 1st, actually by Sunday, the 30th, anxiety will jump-start for millions of children.

Here are some tips to make your child's transition back to the classroom easier:

1. Fun Time: have fun and relax with your child for the remainder of the holiday.
 
2. Prepare for Monday: On Sunday afternoon or early evening gently talk to your child about getting ready for school—pick out clothes, decide on lunch, make sure his book bag is ready, etc. If your child tries to avoid the situation, be understanding about his anxiety, breathe, stay calm and upbeat, but be firm about what has to be done.

3. Belly Breathing: On Sunday spend time during the day playing the belly breathing games in my book or use other resources to reinforce breathing for Sunday night and Monday morning when anxiety generally begins to build. Remind older students to practice too.

4. Guided Imagery: On Sunday night, at bedtime, have your child lie down and begin belly breathing trying to stay calm while imagining going to school. A progressive relaxation exercise added to the nighttime program will help your child sleep and wake feeling better.

5. Have a Pep Talk: Remind your child that he has felt anxious in the past about going back to school after a holiday and has managed it. And have him keep in mind that he has tools, such as breathing and turning off negative self-talk to calm himself when he gets anxious. Say how confident you are that he can handle going to school on Monday, and the rest of the week too.

6. Create a Chaos-Free Morning: Keep school mornings as calm as possible by preparing the night before to get everyone out the door with as little hassle as possible, and by learning how to stay calm yourself even if your child's anxiety is revving up.

Please get help for your school anxious child as soon as possible. There are many resources available to help your child take control of his anxiety instead of letting it control him.

Have a happy and safe holiday.

Diane