Major transitions are difficult for kids. Adults underestimate the anxiety a major change can arouse in a child. Although returning to school is exciting, it also induces anxieties that are sometimes difficult to quell. If a child is dealing with these anxieties on their own, they can intensify and interfere with the child’s ability to move forward securely.

Developmentally, kids have different worries at various ages. In kindergarten, the worries usually pivot around the separation from their parents. In the early grades, the anxieties are associated with getting stuck with a mean teacher or the difficulty of the new grade. The later grades trigger worries about having friends and being accepted, while the high school years can be packed with concerns about being good enough.