• Parenting Pitch
  • Posts
  • How to help your kid (and you!) with back-to-school anxiety

How to help your kid (and you!) with back-to-school anxiety

Plus: A Countdown Roadmap for Kids and Parents! 🚀📚

Author

Lakshmi Jayanthi
July 23, 2024

Wait, is it already time to start thinking about the new school year? Schools in our district start in less than two weeks 😟 and stores are brimming with school supplies, frazzled parents, and super excited (and nervous) kids.

My two boys have somewhat mixed feelings about back to school. My older one’s a bit nervous, while my younger one is cool as a cucumber. The questions are endless!

Back to school can be unnerving for many kids, and that’s totally normal. It brings up feelings of fear, apprehension, separation anxiety, and insecurities. According to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center psychologist Erika Chiappini “Parents may notice their children exhibiting some nervousness about new routines, schoolwork or social interactions. Some of this is a normal part of back-to-school jitters that gradually diminish over a few weeks.”

Parents can get anxious too!

Source: Giphy

According to Rachel Busman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety, the start of a new school year can be anxiety-inducing for parents too. The mounting pressure to establish routines after summer break, arranging for never-ending activities and PTA meetings, and not to mention the school work that will follow in months to come, can evoke stress. 😣

Dr Busman recommends checking in with your own emotions. Kids are like little emotion sponges, soaking up our anxieties. So go easy on planning and scheduling. Your family commitment calendar doesn’t have to be a game of Tetris, it’s okay to leave some blank spaces.

How can you help your kids overcome back-to-school anxiety?

To help you and your kids prepare for the big day, we’ve created this fun Back-to-School Countdown Roadmap. Feel free to customize it to fit your family's needs!

  1. Listen to them

    Listening to your kids without judgment is as hard as resisting that last cookie. But as a parent, the most helpful thing we can do to support our kids is to validate their feelings and express confidence in their abilities. Let them know it’s okay to worry, to feel jittery, and sharing your own experiences can reassure them.

  2. Getting enough sleep

    Establishing routines 1-2 weeks before the school start date helps kids ease out of summer slumber and back into the daily academic rhythm. For example, advancing sleep time by 5 minutes every day can help them sleep on time. Additionally, consider moving their wake-up time earlier in short increments in the weeks leading up to the start of school.

    🌟 Read this article: Does Melatonin Help Kids Fall Asleep?

  3. Getting into “the” routine

    A few days before the start date, consider doing a walk-through of their school day, starting with their morning routine. Ensure they have all their supplies, their backpacks are in order, and their clothes and shoes are planned (because we all know that 7 am crisis of not finding things)

  4. Get more outdoor time

    Research has proven that time outdoors reduces levels of stress and anxiety. Whether it’s playing Pickup Sports, going for a hike or swimming, it’s a great way of reconnecting with friends and easing up on devices and screen time.