Tips for managing children's anxiety amid easing of COVID restrictions in schools

After nearly three years of bouncing in and out of classes, alternative learning and limited play time, most children are preparing to return to a “normal” classroom without any physical barriers like face masks.

However, with the easing of COVID restrictions and the start of a new school year, this could be stressful for some children, one psychologist says.

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Clinical psychologist Anna Maria Tosco says the pandemic has greatly affected all of us, including children who may have yet to process their emotions from challenges they faced over the last few years.

“We've all been traumatized, almost like we've been through this collective trauma if you will, and we are still healing,” Tosco told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday.

In a recent report by LifeWorks, parents reported children as young as two having issues with their mental health, including a rise in anxiety and decline in social and academic development.

Tosco offered some advice for parents on how to recognize when their kids are having a hard time adapting to school, and how to help them.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST

Parents aren’t able to help their children unless they look after themselves first, Tosco said. While it’s normal to experience anxiety over feelings of uncertainty and confusion from the pandemic, it becomes an issue if it persists and starts to affect your physical health.

Tosco said having trouble sleeping, eating or experiencing lack of motivation at work for longer than two weeks or even a month could distract a parent from recognizing similar signs in their own children.

“This is when you know you really need to take care of yourself first before helping your children to be an optimal functioning parent or adult; so take care of yourself first and then you can go off and give advice to your children,” she said.

LOOK FOR PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

More often than adults, children will show signs of anxiety through physical symptoms such as crying, being clingy or having constant headaches and stomach aches.

“That sore tummy that's persisted, for a few weeks to a month, would be an indication of anxiety,” Tosco said.

According to Anxiety Canada, these symptoms can also range from a child being excessively quiet or constantly acting out and being disruptive.

REPRESSED EMOTIONS

Parents need to let their children know that it's OK to express their emotions, even if they are negative ones, Tosco said.

Repressing emotions will only lead to further psychological issues, she said, so it's important for parents to allow their children to feel their emotions first instead of trying to solve the problem as quickly as possible.

“Don't reach for the solution first, please allow space for that emotion because theorists maintain that repressed emotion leads to being mentally unwell or psychological trouble. So allow for those emotions,” she said.

CATASTROPHIC THINKING

When a child is constantly worrying or expressing their concern for the future in a negative way, this could be a serious marker for anxiety.

“Catastrophic thinking is something to look out for as well. What that means is being very worried about a negative outcome like asking ‘mommy, what if you get sick? Mommy what if my teacher gets sick? What if we can't go to school?’” Tosco said.

In these cases, she recommends that parents remind the child that they can always reach out for safety and help if they need it.

“It’s the idea that help can be sought and found for them when things go wrong,” she said.

MAKE BOUNDARIES, HAVE PATIENCE FOR OTHERS

Though the majority of schools have lifted restrictions with classroom sizes and face masks, Tosco said children should still be reminded they can continue behaviours they were taught to protect themselves from COVID-19 if that would make them feel more comfortable.

Similar to rejecting an invitation to go out with a group of friends or asking to continue to work from home, Tosco said setting and respecting boundaries will help children and adults alike adapt to the “new normal.”

“We have to have patience, tolerance for respecting the boundaries of other people and our own because the truth is we're all still healing and it's going to still take time to reach a kind of level of normalcy, or a new normal,” she said.