For some kids, the transition from the carefree days of summer to a weekday school routine is a welcome change. Seeing friends again, getting back into school sports, learning new concepts, and choosing an outfit for the first day back feels exciting!
For others, though, the re-entry to school and an eight-hour day can be tough. For students who are taking the leap from elementary to middle school or from middle school to high school, the newness can cause many to feel apprehensive and anxious.
Parents want the best for their children, and educators want students who arrive alert and ready to learn. Here are some tips and strategies to help kids manage back-to-school with less stress and anxiety.
How do we best prepare children to return to school?
Experts suggest giving younger students time to visit a new school in order to get comfortable with the layout of the building. Facilitating get-togethers with their friends at lunch or after-school activities can also help. If your child will ride the bus, helping younger kids see where the bus stops can give them added peace of mind.
Experts also suggest transitioning to the school-year sleep schedule a week or two before school starts. If your child has been sleeping in, the transition to waking up before 7 a.m. can be a struggle, so don’t wait until the first day of school to make the shift.
“Kids can feel apprehensive about fitting in with peers, who they will sit with at lunch, finding their locker, or navigating a new school,” says Jessica Holzbauer, a licensed clinical social worker who works with children and adolescents at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. “The transition to school, especially for younger students, can cause children to feel nervous. Many will experience a degree of separation anxiety. And for students who experience some form of depression or anxiety, careful planning and coping strategies are especially helpful and can be a safeguard to their mental health,” Holzbauer says.
“At our youth programs, we teach our patients coping strategies to practice before anxious or negative thoughts creep in, and together we create a ‘coping kit’ they can discreetly take with them in a backpack,” says Holzbauer, who manages Teenscope youth day treatment program at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. “Knowing they can use the tools we practice in our program gives kids reassurance that they can handle challenging situations. The kit contains items designed to meet important physical needs and emotional health—both equally important.”
A coping kit can contain:
- Refillable water bottle for all-day hydration
- Healthy snacks to stay fueled throughout the day
- Comfort object: smooth stone, squishy, stress ball, fidget object, or kinetic sand
- Small picture of the student’s family, friends, or pets
- If they carry a cell phone, help them download the SafeUT app (available only in Utah)
- Coping card with supportive reminders: kind words of affirmation or positive quotes
- Reminder with coping skills such as: box breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, soothing with senses, etc.
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