Psychologist warns school anxiety may signal bullying

School-related anxiety is common, but parents should not dismiss a child’s concerns, ERR reported. Minna Kruus, a psychologist with the Peaasi.ee counselling service, said anxiety may be linked to a specific problem, such as bullying.

An estimated quarter to half of students experience increased anxiety during the year. Although anxiety linked specifically to the start of school has not been measured separately, the number of calls to the child helpline rises at the end of August as children begin worrying about school, Kruus said.

Especially among younger children, anxiety may appear as stomach aches, feeling unwell, a low mood or difficulty falling asleep, she said on the Radio 2 programme R2 päevas.

Some discomfort before the start of school is natural, Kruus said. Parents can discuss it with their children and share their own experiences if appropriate. However, they should find out what is actually troubling the child rather than simply labelling it normal school anxiety.

“For many children, there may still be a very real reason. Something at school may be causing greater discomfort or perhaps fear,” Kruus said, citing bullying as one possible cause.

If a child is very worried about starting school, parents can help break the concern into smaller steps. Families can plan sleeping, eating, the school-start routine and other daily activities together. Kruus also suggested holding a small family meeting before the school year begins to discuss what support each person needs.

Parents should acknowledge a child’s feelings if the child says they do not want to go to school, but avoiding school is not a good solution, Kruus said. Avoidance can increase anxiety, while children can learn to act despite it. “Anxiety is with us, but so is our courage,” she said.

The start of school can also make parents anxious. Adults should regulate their own anxiety and avoid transferring their worries to their children. A parent can say they also feel anxious about the start of school, but should not burden the child with their concerns, Kruus said.

If the anxiety does not subside, young people aged 12 to 26 can seek counselling from Peaasi.ee, where they can learn ways to cope with anxiety and review their basic routines.