Tips for Handling Back to School Stress: Helping Your Kids Cope

August 26, 2019

Whether the start of a new school year is right around the corner or already in full swing, the end of August is often the beginning of something else for some parents: an increased feeling of anxiety. According to Healthline.com, if you’re a mom who’s experiencing a little extra stress at the beginning of a new school year, you’re not alone. In fact, your feeling is more common than you may think — especially if your kids are younger.

A new survey from Kiddie Academy, an educational child care center, found that when all members of the family are polled, 63 percent say it’s Mom who has the hardest time with the first day of school. That’s compared to only 27 percent who identified the child as being the one who struggles most.

This isn’t at all surprising according to Michele Levin, a family therapist and co-owner of Blueprint Mental Health. “It’s normal for parents to have a tough time transitioning themselves when their kids begin kindergarten,” she told Healthline. “For a lot of families, this is the first time experiencing losing some control.” While it’s normal for the first day of school to be hard for some parents, Levin says some may need more support than others adjusting to the change. She also points out there are a number of ways parents can manage the stress that can come with the start of a new school year.

But parents aren’t the only ones who can experience increased anxiety over the start of new school year. Kids often feel it, too, and parents can play an integral role in helping them cope. “Anything you can do to minimize the mystery of it all ahead of time is going to help your kids. If you can preplan to have a visit to the school, talking about everything they should expect, and even practicing what the first day of school might look like, that can help,” says American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) spokesperson Dr. Sara Bode, who’s also a primary care pediatrician and medical director of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Care Connection School-Based Health and Mobile Services.

She explains this is because kids thrive on routine and like expectations. However, for kids who may experience more than just the normal nerves for the first day of school, Levin says many schools have amazing resources available to help. “Reach out to the school for some support, and they can point you in the right direction, whether it’s tools to implement or referrals to a therapist for additional help,” she said.

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Photo Credit: Zodiacphoto / Shutterstock.com

Written by: Vipology Staff Writer

American Academy of Pediatrics AAP Back to School Stress Blueprint Mental Health Dr. Sarah Bode Healthline.com Kiddie Academy Michele Levin Nationwide Children's Hospital's Care Connection School-Based Health and Mobile Services

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August 26, 2019