How to Support Your Kid’s Mental Health as They Start School
Written by the Empowered Living Collective and originally posted on empoweredlivingcollective.com on August 20, 2023.
The start of school can bring a rollercoaster of emotions for you and your child. You might be ready for them to get back to a routine and day-to-day schedule. You might be ready for the break during the day to be able to focus more on work or chores around the house, or even to just run errands in peace. You’ve been counting down the days until you can regain your own sense of consistency.
Unfortunately, the transition back to school can be a particularly challenging time for kids. They can be experiencing a wide range of emotions around this return and displaying these in many confusing ways.
They might be quieter than usual - not wanting to talk to you or talk about their feelings with you
They might be grumpier than normal - talking back to you over the simplest request or ask
They might be staying up later, or having trouble falling asleep - the stress and anxiety of school starting is really getting to them and showing up as challenges around sleep
Overall kids can display a range of attitudes, behaviors, and emotions that might be confusing to you. Here are some ways you can best support them during this time:
Open Communication
Provide an open environment for your child to talk to you about what they’re experiencing and feeling
Don’t push them to talk if they don’t want to
Validate their Feelings
Normalize their experience and let them know they’re not alone in their feelings
Avoid dismissing how they’re feeling by telling them “everything’s going to be okay” or “it’s not that bad, you’ll be fine”
Establish a Routine
Help your kid create a morning routine that will get them ready for each school day, including what time to wake up/how to ensure they’ll wake up on time, what to have for breakfast, and identifying other parts of their morning that will help set them up for the best day
Make sure your kid knows their school schedule and how to get from class to class
Help them come up with an after school routine, whether it’s seeing friends, doing some exercise, or engaging in extracurricular activities
Encourage Self-Care
Help your child identify strategies they align with that can help keep them stay regulated
Getting enough sleep, seeing friends and family, engaging in activities they enjoy, going outside, doing something active, eating filling and nutritious foods
Limit over-scheduling
Extracurricular activities are great! Too many can be overwhelming, try to limit these and encourage your kid to take some time for relaxation
Let your child guide what extracurricular activities they do engage in
Celebrate Achievements
Help your kid gain a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. When accomplishments happen ask them how they felt about it
Tell them how proud you are of them, for anything big or small, and focus on the effort and determination, not just the outcomes
Reinforce your Love and Support
Tell them how much you love and care for them, no matter how school goes for them
Help them know they can come to you for anything they might need and you will help them navigate challenges that arise
Every child will respond to this school transition differently. What works for one person might not work for another, so tailor your approach to the personality, needs, and preferences of your kid. Continue to check-in with how they’re doing, and if you are ever concerned their reactions might be too extreme in one way or another, reach out for support.
Concerned your kid is struggling more than usual with this transition? Learn more about Child and Teen therapy. Or contact us for more support.
Book Now with the Empowered Living Collective, or learn more about them at their website, www.empoweredlivingcollective.com.