Back to School!

From Rebecca McKenzie

Early mornings, school bus routes, school supply runs… August means back to school! Whether you’re jumping for joy to have the kids out of the house or crying in your car after dropping them off for the first day – back to school always means transition and change.

You know that saying that children are sponges? They soak up and absorb all of this information that surrounds them. They’re small, resilient sponges.

Those sponges are also feeding off of how you feel. Are you stressed? Your kiddos know! That doesn’t mean you need to hide your stress from them. Quite the opposite, actually.

So how do you handle back to school stress – for yourself and your children? Here are a few tips to ease the transition this year:

Acknowledge your child’s feelings and be open to a discussion about them.

If your child tells you about his nerves for the first day, it can be easy to brush those off as “first-day jitters.” Instead of making light of these nerves, have an open conversation with your child about this transition. Summer break is a long time away from a set schedule. Jumping back into a routine and being bombarded with all of the new people – it’s no wonder these kiddos have nerves!

Start a routine back early.

Getting back into a routine can be a huge part of the issue during this transition. To help ease this, slowly start getting the kids back into a routine can help make the school year seem less daunting.

Ease their nerves where you can.

If possible, try to get into the school and get your child acclimated. Introduce them to the teacher is possible, let them find the way to their class(es), and make sure they know where important offices are. Having some of those references tucked in their back pocket before the first day will help!

Back to the basics.

It may seem silly but when your children are anxious, they may forget to eat or bathe. Make sure that they are eating, drinking, and sleeping as well as keeping up with proper hygiene. No one feels their best when they’re hungry or tired so ensuring your kiddos are ticking those boxes will help them feel their best.

Transitions are hard and sometimes it takes a little more than these tips. We can help. Georgia HOPE offers counseling services in whatever way is more convenient for you: in home, at school, or online. We offer services for a multitude of presenting problems including:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression & other Mood Disorders
  • ADHD
  • PTSD
  • Life Transitions
  • Relationship Troubles
  • Substance Use
  • And more!

To make a referral for you or someone you know, check out our easy online referral form but clicking on the button below.

MAKE A REFERRAL