The end of the school year is on the horizon. There are changes to the daily schedule, there is talk about going to your new grade. There is thinking about not seeing your friends, who will be in your class next year and who will be your teacher.

You may very well be noticing an uptick in your child of things such as inflexibility, defiance, trouble sleeping, reverting to behaviors that you thought were gone, and other ways that children exhibit increased anxiety and feelings of stress. Kids don’t typically tell us they are anxious or out-of-sorts, they show us. This has been evident with many kids attending my social groups. We are all just trying our best to make it through to summer, where we can put some of our worrying on pause.

If your child does seem off kilter right now, you can ask if there are some end-of-the-school year worries or concerns they are having. Talking through these issues can help. Some schools preview the next grade with a moving up day to visit their new classroom. Maybe you can ask for an individual preview and to meet the teacher before school starts. If your child is on an IEP or a 504, you can discuss class placement with your TEAM.

This typical school-related anxiety, coupled with recent events that children are hearing about on the news, is what is most certainly having an impact on our kids right now. For the next few weeks, a dose of extra patience, trying to uncover what their specific worries are to address them, and lots of hugs are what kids need.