Ana has been having a hard time leaving us in the mornings for school.  I thought it was just a phase, but it’s been going on for about a month now.  I wouldn’t be too concerned, but her teachers have told me that sometimes she cries in class and says that she doesn’t understand everything.  (And this happens in English class as well.  So it’s not the language.)

I’ve asked Ana what the problem is, and she says second grade is hard.  We’ve asked questions about people, situations, and every other issue we can think of, trying to get to the root of the problem, thinking that it has to be more than school, and it keeps coming back to this overwhelming anxiety she has about being “graded.”  

She’s a high-achieving student who does well in school.  We don’t make a huge deal about grades in our house, nor do we elevate high performance at school as the be all and end all of life.  We’re working really hard to have and convey a correct perspective of these things, especially as we’re dealing with two very different students.

So, why does my seven year old have more anxiety about second grade than most high school students have about their classes?  And how in the world do we help her cope with this and learn a healthy perspective regarding these things?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.