AS we move into January, children across the region will be once again getting used to their school routines after the Christmas break.

Many children will be over the moon to return to their classrooms, to their friends and studies after the festive break, but it’s also worth remembering that some may feel uneasy about returning to school.

We know anxiety is common amongst young people who are returning to school after the Christmas holidays – it’s one of the more common reasons children contact the NSPCC’s Childline service, especially after school holidays.

Some children might worry that they look different after the festive period, either due to festive indulgence or simply from growing up. Some young people may dread returning to school because it puts them back in close proximity with bullies, while others may be worried about catching Covid or social distancing measures.

It’s entirely possible that your child doesn’t want to get out of bed when their alarm goes off just because it’s cold outside and they’d love another ten minutes in bed.

However, it’s also possible they could have worries about returning to class, so it’s a good idea to keep talking to your child about school, even if nothing seems wrong. If you’ve noticed your child has seemed anxious or worried about returning to school, there are lots of ways you can help them.

You should let them know that it’s okay if they don’t feel comfortable at first. If the first few days have felt unusual or negative, remind them that it can take time to readjust to the school environment after a break.

Reassure them that you’ll support them, and suggest they write a list of things they’re looking forward to about returning to school, followed by a list of things they’re worried about. Talk them over, and discuss ways they can cope with each concern, but just writing down their worries can be a positive step, as it helps them to visualise their problems and gives you valuable insight as well.

Ask them about their day – but try not to badger them. It’s important that if anything happens, they feel like they can talk to you about it and by having frequent, open and honest conversations even when nothing seems to be wrong, you’re offering them that reassurance.

Always remind them that they can talk to you or to a teacher about their concerns, or if they would rather speak to someone they don’t know, Childline is available to them around the clock.

It might be useful to explore the Childline website together too, as there are lots of useful activities and tools which can help their mood or offer advice.

They could use the Art box area to draw a picture of how they feel and what they want to change, read our tips for making friends, or use the Mood Journal to let out their feelings.

If they don’t feel ready to speak to you or a trusted adult in school, there are moderated message boards on the Childline website where they can speak to other young people and find out how other children have dealt with similar worries. Sometimes, just finding out they’re not the only ones who feel a certain way can be a massive help.

Lastly, help calm their nerves and make sure they’re in bed at a reasonable time – without any devices which might stop them sleeping – and have uniform ready the night before to avoid anxiety before school.

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