Managing student stress heading back to school is key, expert says

Some students will be dealing with anxiety and nervousness this week on top of getting familiar with new classrooms, fellow students and in some cases even new schools.

One Calgary expert says planning and communication are key to minimize the impact of this stress.

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Cynthia Prasow, the student experience director at the University of Calgary's Werkland School of Education,shared her thoughts with The Homestretch.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: What are some common things children might be anxious about as they return to school?

A: It's very normal for children to be anxious and nervous, probably thinking about, first of all, who is their teacher going to be, probably remembering what the year before was like.

Maybe nervous about who is going to be in their class. Anxious about what a new school is going to be like.

These are a few of things I think all children, young and old, will be considering, especially if they are changing schools.

Q: How do anxieties differ for high school students?

A: It is often larger, so a lot more students and maybe less personal than what they are used to.

That can be a little bit scary. It's always good if you can have a friend to go with. It's important to get to know the school before you even start.

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If you are in high school, know the timetable. Get yourself organized. If you can be organized early enough, I think it will dispel some of the worry.

Anything that you can do to prepare yourself for what's ahead, including sleep patterns, is a good thing.

Q: How can parents help?

A: Parents can have a key role in keeping the conversation going, having positive discussions about what's ahead.

Sometimes as parents we think if they are not talking about it, everything is OK. But often, some students can keep it bottled up and they are worrying about it. Let's keep it a little more open and have the conversation about what's ahead: How are you prepared? Is there any way I can support you? What are some of the questions you are thinking about?

Keep the communication going.

Q: What can parents do if they're nervous about letting their kids go for the first time?

A: It's natural. Letting go is a tough one.

Parents can have the conversation, 'I bet you are nervous about leaving, you have to know that I am also nervous about you going, so let's talk about it. What can we do to stay connected email, phone calls?'

Q: Helicopter parenting, how do you avoid that?

A: Sometimes they need to reflect, because they may deny they are becoming one. There needs to be balance.

We want to have children become independent, so how as a parent can we help them become independent and take responsibility?

Young children, as young as two, three, fourand five years old, can help to pack their lunch. How can I be organized and get myself ready in the morning, even if it's helping with breakfast?

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Helicopter parents need to give away some of that control. That's hard for the parents but it's really important. It's important for parents to maintain strong communication with the school.

But there is a balance, between that and not controlling what is going on in the school. Letting go is important.

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With files from The Homestretch.