Back to school time often brings on stress and anxiety for families. Kids can begin to display symptoms of anxiety just at the thought of heading back to the classroom. However, it is not just kids that experience this stress. Parents and caregivers are often feeling overwhelmed when gearing up to another "potentially" challenging school year.
So how can you prepare for back to school and reduce, if not beat, that stress all together? Here are ten tips that will help you ease in to another school year.
1. Stay positive! OK, you might be thinking "Ya right!", but let me explain. I am a firm believer that your thoughts often become reality. If your thoughts heading into the school year are negative, if all you expect is for bad things to happen, all that will happen will be less than positive things. That's all you will notice and you will be in the zone of "See, I told you so." Trust me, I speak from experience. I am not going to pretend that every part of heading back to school will be easy, but mindset is everything. Put it out there to the universe that your child is going to have a great year and you are going to help make a positive difference in their transition. Not only will this ease your own stress, but it will impact your child's belief system and attitudes as well. They take their cue from us, so don't get caught in the negativity trap.
2. Don't ask your child if they are looking forward to going back to school if you know the answer is going to be "no". Get them thinking about school by making comments like "I bet it will be great to see Sally when school starts". If you do ask questions, keep them positive. Ask them in a way that will have them reflecting on the good aspects of school and deflect comments that might bring up the less positive emotions.
3. Start to ease in to new routines 7-10 days before school goes back in. If you start too soon, your child will resent you. However, you know your child best so if you need to start sooner, then by all means do so. When possible have your child collaborate with you on setting up a school day routine from wake-up to bedtime that works for everyone. They are more likely to compromise with you than follow through on something that is imposed on them without any discussion. Partner with your child on a plan for the day. The truth is parents don't always know best. I have learned this the hard way!
4. Create a family calendar and avoid over scheduling. I suggest you colour code your calendar into blocks so you can see how time is being spent. Something new I am going to try this year is to colour block in some me time! Yes ME! As a parent you have to look after yourself because only then can you be best prepared to look after others! Schedule in your ME time when your calendar is being prepared! Block off that time for yourself before the calendar gets so filled up there just isn't any place for it. Make sure the kiddo's also have their own "Me" time. This will help them learn to respect your needs if you respect theirs.
5. Gather supplies for a homework box! Homework is a stressful time and the worst thing that often happens is when kids are unable to find that pencil, eraser or hole punch when they need it. Reduce the amount of stress in your home by keeping a well stocked box and replenish the supplies as needed.
6. Purge the bedroom! Clean out those closets and desk drawers. Out with the old (only if it's of no use or no longer fits) and get prepared to bring in the new. Do this before you back to school shop to help you stick to your budget! Too often we buy more than we need or find out we already have things at home and didn't need to replace them.
7. For parents of students with special needs, pull out last years I.E.P. and start reviewing it. It will take your child's new teacher some time to get to know your child each school year, but it won't be long before you will need to connect with them to get the ball rolling in terms of any accommodations or modifications your child may need. Make sure all of your child's medical information is up to date, and identify any "must shares" for that first day of school. Feel free to send a brief note to your child's teacher to introduce yourself, share important information and open up the lines of communication for dialogue throughout the school year.
8. If your child is anxious about school, provide reassurance and generate some mutually agreed upon coping strategies. Listen to your child's concerns, but be leary of any assumptions you or child may make about a particular situation. So often problems escalate before the facts are even uncovered and can set the tone for the rest of the school year.
9. Have your kids help you generate some meal plans to ensure both a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch throughout the school day. A good start to the day can not be underestimated! Kids are more likely to become involved in the meal preparation if they have contributed to the grocery list.
10. Ensure everyone in the home is getting adequate sleep. Nothing contributes to stress and anxiety more than a lack of sleep. The average elementary child requires 10 - 12 hours of sleep a day (Web MD, 2014). Of course this will vary from child to child but it is a good guideline.
Do you have a #backtoschool tip? I invite you to share below!
References
