Parents Reveal Their Top Concerns About The New School Year

Kids will be returning to school in a matter of weeks, and parents have some real concerns as they head back, but surprisingly, COVID itself isn’t their top worry.

 A new survey by "Parents" magazine finds:

• 45% of parents say their biggest concerns when it comes to back to school are their kids social skills and friendships.
• Other top concerns include:
  • Attention span or staying engaged (45%)
  • Mental health (43%)
  • Motivation to do well (41%)
  • Physical health (38%)
  • Time management (37%)
  • Overall grade-level expectations (36%)
  • Physical fitness and activity (35%)
• Overall, 95% of parents say their kids faced some major challenges during the 2020-2021 school year.
• 75% say they were actually satisfied with how their schools handled everything.
• 55% believe their children are in the same place academically as they would have if they had been going to school in-person compared to remote learning.
• As for the new year, 23% of parents feel anxious about their kids going back to school, with 48% saying they are extremely or very anxious.
• 92% believe their kids will need additional mental and emotional support.
• But even with that, most parents are excited to get their kids back to school and back to their normal routine.
  • Things they are looking forward to the most include:
  • Getting my child(ren) back into more social settings (90%)
  • Returning our household to a normal daily schedule (88%)
  • Being more involved with my child(ren)'s school than in past years (82%)
  • Celebrating the start of the new school year (80%)
  • Having more time to focus on myself (80%)
  • Getting my child(ren) back into extracurricular activities (80%)
  • Getting my child(ren) back into sports (79%)
  • Worrying less about my child(ren) falling behind academically (74%)
  • Worrying less about my child(ren) getting sick (69%) 
• ONE MORE THING!When it comes to vaccinations, 64% of parents plan to have their kids vaccinated once it’s approved for children. Another 67% believe all teachers should be vaccinated before the school year.

Source:AP News