Expert Clinical Psychologist Enise Öziç, who advises parents on the adaptation process of children who start school for the first time, said, “It may take 1-2 weeks to get used to the school and the classroom. Take your time. Over time, he will start to feel that the school environment is safe. If this adaptation phase exceeds 3 weeks, activate expert support.”
Expert Clinical Psychologist Enise Öziç from Liv Healthy Life Center gave advice to the parents of students starting 1st grade. Making suggestions about children's relationship with their teachers, Uzm. Klnk. Psk. Öziç said, “Support him to bond with his teacher; be in communication, help him get to know his teacher. It may take 1-2 weeks to get used to school and class. Take your time. Over time, he will start to feel that the school environment is safe. If this adjustment phase lasts longer than 3 weeks, seek expert support. Remember that your anxiety will affect your child. Sometimes they will be anxious only because of you. Do not think that I do not make them feel it. Children feel everything very well. If you have such a problem, get support from your social environment or seek expert support.”
“The process is more difficult in children with separation anxiety”
Stating that the adaptation phases of children with separation anxiety will take longer than other children, Uzm. Klnk. Psk. Öziç said, “Give him time. Avoid situations such as leaving and running away, tricking them to leave. In order to facilitate the adaptation phase, books such as Audrey Penn's The Kiss in the Palm of Your Hand are just for these children, you can read this resource together. Books and stories can calm children, and I think even adults, and remove uncertainty and facilitate emotion management. Make the most of stories and books about school anxiety. Never compare with anyone. Every child's pace is different. Do not constantly show anyone as an example to him/her. Instead, remind him of the positive behavioral changes in himself in the form of 'look, you know you are much better than yesterday'.”
“Support your child”
Stating that we can teach children an exercise that they can use when they are alone by themselves, Uzm. Klnk. Psk. Öziç shared the following information:
“The safe place exercise, a coping strategy, can be used in this regard. Move to a table where she can draw comfortably with a piece of paper and crayons. Give her the following instruction; 'Everyone has a place or situation where they feel safe and peaceful. How about drawing a picture of a place where you feel safe and peaceful, this place can be a real place or an imaginary place. He can put the people and objects he wants there. She can also draw as she likes. If you want to support him/her a little, you can remind him/her of his/her favorite objects, people and situations if you notice that he/she is having difficulty. When he/she is done drawing, give the following instruction: “Very good, thank you, but is there anything you want to add to this safe space?” If there is, let him/her add it, if not, ask the following questions in order as he/she receives the answer to each one; what emotion does looking at this picture give you right now? And where do you feel these emotions in your body right now? Come on, keep this picture in your mind, notice these emotions it makes you feel and these sensations in your body and give yourself butterfly touches. After 3-5 sets of taps, stop and ask yourself how you feel right now. How does it feel to look at this picture right now? Focus on what you are noticing and do one more set. Continue until you get positive feedback several times. (If he/she gives negative feedback while thinking about his/her safe place, reinforce it with the following instruction: So what do you need to make this place safer? What else would you like to add here?” Then follow the same instructions with the other steps). And then ask them to find a clue word for this safe place.”
Uzm. Klnk. Psk. Öziç said, “Let your directive be; ‘With which word do you want to remember this place?’ Do another set by repeating the clue word he found from within and convey to him that he can do this beautiful coping resource whenever he is not feeling well. You can even do this exercise for yourself.”
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