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.