Being Honest on Anxiety for Back to School

Happy Tuesday or whatever day this article finds you. Anxiety is something that I have struggled for years with. As the new school year is fast approaching, my anxiety for my children’s welfare is increasing. They have been home for the last year and a half. They haven’t had one cold let alone Covid-19. Two out of 3 of my children have severe asthma. Now there are returning to school with variants. Being prayerful is definitely key but being just as honest about my anxiety for back to school is real.

Fear and Anxiety for Back to School

People tell you that you can’t live your life in fear and I believe that. Honestly I have heard that my whole life being a Preacher’s Kid (PK). Fear can’t dwell where love is. I tend to take that all in so many times when fear comes in. However as a parent who has watched my children have asthmatic scares since they were babies I am well in my rights to be nervous. Even parents whose children are seemingly healthy have had their fears challenged. My children don’t start to school until after Labor Day. So I have now watched parents send their children to school and its not easing my fears.

Listening to my Children

My children are just as nervous. People have asked me if we watch the news in our home and the answer is NO. There aren’t many times in our home where we have the news on. We don’t need it since the news is inundated on our cell phones. We listened to our children about what they are afraid of. They have anxieties of different kinds. They are more worried about who the new teacher is, making new friends, and having a good year. That tells me that so far we are doing right. We haven’t pushed our fears on them. We are doing what parents are supposed to do, take on the hit of being scared for their health. For now we are making sure they have what they need and letting them worry about book bag colors and pen selections.

Delta Variants

Life has hits no matter what. Yes, we know that anything can happen to both kids and adults at any given time. That doesn’t mean that as a parent that I am unable to take the Variants seriously. My children’s school is making all teachers get the vaccine. Luckily for us when I spoke to many of the teachers, they are in full support. The children will have to have their mask on the entire day. That makes me nervous. My children have been in their bubble and we have been at home for the most part. Masks all day long will be a change for them. Like many students who didn’t have an online option last school year this is a normality that parents like myself will have to adjust.

Daily Goals with Our Children

We plan to do what we can to keep things upbeat. Listening to their concerns daily as they wear masks. Keeping a close eye on the news and specifically what our children’s private school tends to do as things switch over.

Fall is heading into a normal Flu season. This will make things a little trickier. We will continue to only allow vaccinated adults around them. For the sake of their health its the only way we can ensure they are healthy. Keep up with boosting their immune systems. We have been taking all kinds of herbs and vitamins approved from their doctors. Keeping them eating a well balanced meal and staying active. These things help and we hope will continue to keep all of us on the right path.

Being Honest

My husband and I have been having more and more honest conversations about what to expect. We are developing plans should one or all of us gets Covid-19. Since we did a great job with staying home in the past, its the conversation we haven’t had to revisit since the Pandemic started. However its unwise to not have a plan in place at least to us. Being vigilant about hand washing as soon as we pick them up and get home. Definitely will be using hand sanitizer as soon as they enter the car.

Talking about any red flags we see from the administration as well as other parents and students. Keeping our ear to the ground if we hear anything. Encouraging parents to not send their children to school if they are sick. I am glad they will be doing temperature checks daily. If your a parent like me it’s okay to be anxious or fearful. Do NOT allow people to tell you there’s nothing to worry about. Your children can’t be replaced. Take it seriously but find a middle ground as well.

New Anxiety and Back to School

Now that we have survived a year of going back to school now enters MonkeyPox. Who would have thought that bumps and more would even be a thing that we would have to worry about. Here we are. Please be vigilant about hand washing and more. The world is changing and be more vigilant about the things that are in the air and atmosphere.

My hearts and prayers for all school aged students is that they all have a safe year. We got this and I pray we make good decisions that no child or adult has to lose their lives this school year. Let’s band together as parents and support the school, teachers, as well as our students. Let’s welcome out students back to school right.