Back to the Classroom: A Game Plan for Reducing Anxiety

Paducah KY

25 October, 2021

12:52 PM

Description

Bowling Green brothers Elend and Merik Hutchison were anxious. Five-year-old Elend would be starting kindergarten in August. What if some classmates were mean to him, he asked his mom. What if they pushed and bullied him? Merik, 10, had other worries. For the last year and a half he had been attending virtual classes. At home Merik felt protected from the COVID-19 virus that seemed to be everywhere. But now he was returning to school and in-person learning. Would he be ok? Merik and Elend’s parents, TJ and Ami Hutchison, empathized with their sons. Like parents across Kentucky, they understood that this year’s transition to in-person learning would have its challenges. “Elend was very nervous leading up to [the first day of] school. And we would just sit down and listen to him,” said Ami. “We had many conversations.” The Hutchisons, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, found the Bible to be their best source of advice for reducing anxiety. They also made full use of the website jw.org and its Bible-based videos designed for young people. One of those videos, “Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists,” directly addressed Elend's concerns. It drew practical lessons from Bible verses such as Romans 12:17 about controlling a situation without retaliating. Elend quickly put the counsel into practice. “After school started he found a couple of kids who were a little aggressive, and he told us he just ignored them or walked away. The video really helped him have confidence,” related Ami. When it came to Merik’s anxiety about COVID infection, the family watched the animated jw.org video, “Virus Outbreaks—What You Can Do.” This helped the boys understand how to protect not only themselves, but also classmates and teachers. Conveying such thoughts, admits TJ, “and putting them into simple terms can be difficult. But with the various videos on jw.org, it makes it easier for us.” Together the family also examined the scriptural principles of respect for life and love of neighbor. Ami and TJ then helped the boys make practical application, such as understanding the wisdom of wearing masks and taking other safety precautions. “Having those conversations helped Merik. He feels better about being in school now,” said Ami. TJ agrees. “The preparation was worth the effort.”