Handling conflict ahead of going back to school

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Going back to school can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be if you can prepare yourself and your child. Speaking with some mental health professionals, some advice on going back to school they gave was to simply speak up.

News 40 dropped by FamilyWorks Therapy and spoke to clinical director Georgeanna Gibson, and Gibson had a few things to say about anxiety and conflict resolution. Gibson said self-advocacy is very important when it comes to navigating grade school life, or finding at least one person you feel like you can really trust.

Gibson also mentioned the old saying we’ve all heard, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” to which she added is “the biggest lie you could tell someone.” Gibson said physical wounds heal, but it’s hard to get past emotional damage.

News 40 also talked to the Tanner Steelman, the mental health supervisor at Bowling Green Independent School District. Steelman said of course, you want to feel safe at school, but it’s important for students to learn how to handle conflict on their own.

Steelman told News 40 he thinks it’s important to learn a sense of resiliency, both students and parents. The supervisor said things will happen all through life, so it’s crucial for kids to know how to handle conflict through school so they can deal with it later in life. He also mentioned that to he and his staff, a fleshed out investigation is very important to them, and it typically starts with the family the more intense the issue is.

Steelman said it’s important for kids to have a good support system at home, giving a little push to parents to make sure they’re regularly checking in with their children. Steelman acknowledged that life can be a lot at times and it can often make children feel like they have no voice.

According to the counselor, parents may not do it purposefully but can sometimes come off as dismissive, which could cause children to act out. Gibson gave the same sentiment, saying she’s not as “worried about the kid that’s flipping tables because he’s telling you how he feels… it’s the kid that’s quiet…”