This post has been sponsored by PRO Martial Arts of Lakewood. All opinions are 100% our own!
It’s that time of year again – back to school! As the new school year gets into full swing, parents are scheduling car pools; budgeting for school fundraisers, clothes, and tuition. This can be a hectic time for families, and parents can easily mistake their children’s feelings of nervousness and anxiety about going back to school for “just end of summer blues”.
Whether it is due to bullying behavior from classmates or anxiety about social interaction, parents can ease the stress by putting some of the following tips into place for the upcoming school year:
Talk to your child. Ask your children what they liked about school last year and see how those positives can be incorporated into the upcoming year. Ask about their worries or fears to help share their burden.
Empathize with your child. Let your children know you are available no matter how busy life gets. They need to understand you can help formulate a plan of attack to combat their anxieties, while validating their concerns. It is vital to persuade your children to face their fears instead of falling into the trap of avoidance.
Get involved and ask for help. Encourage your child to be an upstander, not a passive bystander. Teach them to take positive action when they see a friend or another student being bullied. If your child is the one being bullied, practice giving and taking different responses they would encounter in a troublesome situation. This exercise will help build their confidence and empower them by being prepared.
Like most children, he or she may be apprehensive about reporting the bullying behavior to school officials. Let them know you will handle the situation. After addressing the matter with
the administration, take advantage of community resources that can help your children feel appreciated and included outside of the schoolyard setting.
Designed by educators, child psychologists and law enforcement professionals, PRO Martial Arts’ ARMOR Program is an anti-bullying and predator prevention program teaching children how to stay safe in an increasingly aggressive world. The ARMOR program educates children on how to recognize bully behavior; how not to become a victim; and how to carry themselves with confidence and respect, using martial arts defensive skills only as a last resort.
PRO Martial Arts of Lakewood is offering TWO FREE TRIAL classes for your child to try the program (no strings attached)– all while making new friends and fun memories! Simply mention our recommendation on Dallas Moms Blog!
For more information on how PRO Martial Arts’ curriculum can help your child with back to school anxieties, contact PRO Martial Arts of Lakewood at 214-269-3464, or email [email protected].
To read more about PRO Martial Arts, see these previous posts from Dallas Moms Blog:
Why Chopping Veggies (and Boards) are Equally Important
Martial Arts & Children: Strengthening More Than The Body
Arm Your Child Against Bullying
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by PRO Martial Arts of Lakewood. All opinions are 100% our own!
