Quantcast
Logo

OVERCOMING THE STRESS OF CHANGING SCHOOLS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW


By Buddy Blouin

It’s virtually inevitable. The life of a military family means one on the move as roots are hard to maintain for too long when PCS orders come in and duty calls. For kids, particularly those in school, this can be an extremely difficult, stressful process. The stress of changing schools can hinder children academically, socially, emotionally, and in their home lives. However, by identifying stress factors and understanding how to overcome them, military families can prevail over these obstacles and move forward, stronger.

What Causes the Stress of Changing Schools?

The stress of changing schools can come from many different factors. Moving is never easy but when school is involved, the changes often involve other dynamics.

Yes, education is affected by moving schools, but there are social aspects, and extracurriculars. In older children, more complex emotions can develop as they age, including fear of the unknown and anxiety.

Recognizing these challenges is an important first step in developing effective coping strategies. Here are some of the main stressors that can come from changing school environments when moving:

The Stress of Facing the Unknown

The uncertainty of new surroundings, social dynamics, and academic challenges can be difficult for anyone.

Unknown chapters in our lives can be scary. Sometimes, this fear and stress can be a catalyst and help us thrive.

However, it can also reach unhealthy levels, triggering anxiety and fear that is detrimental to our endeavors.

Children are no different. Adjusting to new schedules and establishing fresh routines is already disruptive but doing it when you’re uncertain about what it will look like for your school experience? Even worse.

Making New Friends

Fitting in is hard enough no matter where you grow up but moving and having to do it all over again is a challenge in and of itself.

The idea of having to start over, find friends, navigate bullies, and “find a tribe,” is a lot for young minds. Frankly, it’s difficult regardless of age.

Going into a new school setting after a move is going to inevitably bring up many uncertain feelings but this includes one’s social prospects and standing.

New Educational Processes

You may not think about your child considering how school will be from an educational standpoint, but you should. 88% of people say that teachers have made a notable impact in their lives.

Changing schools is the big picture but having to switch teachers can be a tremendous shift for your kids and how they learn.

Furthermore, the rules and logistics of the school itself may be different and present challenges or anxiety about how they learn or test for subjects.

It’s also important to consider that curriculums and opportunities look differently at each campus.

If your child is taking an elective or specialized educational path that isn’t available at their next school, this can be discouraging for their personal growth.

Leaving Behind Friends

It can happen at any age but leaving behind established friends, neighbors, and social circles can get even more complex for older kids moving schools.

The shift in routine already often creates an unsettling, creating a sense of loss, and losing the people you connect with only multiplies these feelings.

Keep in mind that this extends beyond the core of your child’s friend group. A change in teams, organizations, interest groups, etc. should also be considered here.

How to Handle the Stress of Changing Schools

If your kid is moving to a new school, knowing how to handle the stress of it all is the key to keeping small problems from ballooning into big ones. Here are some critical techniques your family can deploy to help overcome some of these mental obstacles:

Communicate Openly

Talking to your kid is going to go a long way but communication needs to be done properly in order to be effective.

If you listen to what they have to say but do nothing to show it or dismiss their ideas or thoughts, it’s going to destroy any lines of communication in the future and hinder trust moving forward.

Put yourself in your child’s shoes, have honest discussions about the move, validate how they’re feeling, and prove to them in words and actions that you’ll be there for them along the way.

Visit the New School When Possible

Some schools may allow you to visit with your child to explore the different courses offered along with potential extracurriculars they can be a part of. Doing so can help your kid reduce anxiety and stress when changing schools.

Balance the Old With the New

From the routines you have as a family to helping your kids make new friends while maintaining contact with previous friends, if you strike a balance between your old home and the new one, kids may better adjust.

Technology and social media can help you keep ties to the home you’re leaving and new routines when you arrive are going to help your family move forward in a positive, healthy manner.

Stay Realistically Positive

Positivity can sometimes be muddied up by the idea that everything needs to be great all of the time. That’s not how it works.

However, looking for the positives, reframing challenges as opportunities, and acknowledging the bad while embracing the good can go a long way.

Parents have a huge role to play here as children will often mirror their attitudes towards a situation, so be sure to set the right tone.

Seek Professional Help

Taking care of your family’s mental health is important and professional counseling can do a lot to help ease your nerves and the stress your child is feeling, and keep everyone moving forward in a healthy manner when switching schools.

There are many different types of therapy available along with stress-relief techniques that can equip your children and your family with the tools they need to overcome negative mental health obstacles.

Overcoming the Stress of Changing Schools is a Process

Moving to another school can be a challenging experience for military families, but with the right strategies, it can also become an opportunity for growth and resilience.

Open communication is essential for all parties and having your child actively a part of the plan to get them settled into a new school is going to do a lot for your home life as well as their academic endeavors.

Involve your kids with visits to their new school and do the little things, like helping them personalize their new home to help them feel settled in.

Modeling a positive attitude and being an example of adaptability will help your children reflect this attitude in their own lives.

Celebrating small victories, like making a new friend or succeeding in school, is also important to build confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

Nobody says that changing schools when PCSing is always going to be easy, but with the right approach, your family will be well-equipped for success in the classroom and beyond.

Related reads:

SHARE:


TAGS:

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Get the latest news and military discounts

Email*
CONNECT WITH US
RECENT POSTS