Dont worry. Be happy, sings the plastic fish hanging on our garage wall. Tacky, I know, but the sentiment rings true as I stand there contemplating the new school year.
Especially now, we need to stay on our cheerful side.
How are your kids feeling about the return to school? Are they filled with anticipation, enthusiasm, fear, or dread?
Concern over different teachers, new classes, or unfamiliar schools can feel overwhelming. Questions may nag at children. What if her best friend isnt in her class this year? Who can he eat lunch with now that his best friend has moved to a new school? What should she do if she gets the teacher that everyone thinks is mean?
Although I was a good student, heading into a new school year always filled me with complete dismay. I began counting the days until summer break at the start of the first school day.
The only bright spot to going back to school was getting to buy office supplies. I still like that part best.
What about parental concerns? Is buying school clothes and supplies straining the family budget? Will the children find good friends? What subjects could they find too challenging? Are there influences that might prove unhealthy?
Change of any kind, including a new school year, generally causes a mixture of good feelings and negative feelings. Something new begins and something else is left behind. In all, it is a perfect formula for stress either in small or great measure.
I know the ultimate solution is not as simple as saying, Dont worry. Be happy. However, injecting some of that positive attitude into a stressful time can encourage the whole family.
Stress, unexpected events, and change are simply part of life. Plans will get interrupted. We will feel concern. We will struggle to find our way. But, as a t-shirt I once had said, Attitude is everything.
Actually, I dont completely agree that attitude is everything, but it can be a lot.
If your daughter picks up on your anxiety about sending her to kindergarten or your concern about her making new friends, shell start having those feelings too.
Work on your attitude, first. Dont worry. Be happy. Genuinely. Kids know when we are faking it.
Instead of assuming things will go wrong, assume they will go right. Head off or plan for any trouble you can anticipate. Then, put on a happy face.
Take a little time to do things that make you happy. Take a walk. Read a book. Eat a sundae. Go fishing.
Consider suggesting something to your child to say to themselves if they start worrying or feel nervous. Dont worry. Be happy. or a favorite verse might work.
I find Psalm 118:24 (KJV) very cheering. It says,This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. A brand of eggs I once bought quoted the verse on the lid. I guess the company thought it was a good reminder to start the day, too.
Plan a special treat for the weekend after school starts. Let your child choose something special to look forward to. Go to the park. Make his favorite cookies together. Invite a friend for a sleepover. Hike a favorite trail.
Life is not always easy or fun. Kids wont always make the team, find friends, or earn straight As, but a joyful attitude can help carry them through those pressure filled times with more ease.
Kids know what their parents think and often mirror their feelings. Dont worry. Be happy!
