How to Help your Child with Back to School Anxiety

The last few months have flown by, and the first day of school is quickly approaching if not already happened! While summer break is winding down, your child’s back-to-school anxiety for the upcoming school year might be ramping up. We’ve got some tips on how to help your child transition into the new school year smoothly.

Help your child ease into their new schedule by making changes to their routine prior to the night before school starts. If your child has a later bedtime during the summer, get back into the routine of a regular bedtime a week or two before school. Start habits that help your child feel prepared and reduce morning stress such as having them set out their clothes the night before or helping them prepare their backpack.

Oftentimes, summer is more unstructured, which allows children and teens to have more access to their electronic devices. We often hear from parents that their child’s mood and behaviors change when they are playing on their device for extended periods of time or transitioning from their device to a lowered preferred activity. We encourage you to sit down with your child and create a collaborative plan for how much time they can spend on their devices during the week. Setting realistic boundaries around screen time as well as encouraging your child to have a variety of ways to destress will have a positive impact on their mood and behavior.  

For children or teens that have concerns with social anxiety, school orientations provide opportunities for them to meet their teachers in a low stress situation. Orientations also allow children to become familiar with their new school environment prior to the pressure of the first day. If your family has been on vacation for much of the summer, setting up a few play dates with school friends can help remind your child of the peer support they have at school.

Do not over schedule your child or teen. It is recommended that a child has one or two after school activities. Whether it be sports, art, music, theater, robotics… it can be tempting to have your child involved in a little bit of everything. For children and teens who tend to over commit to extracurriculars, limiting activities teaches them to set priorities with their time. Strive for a balance so they do not feel overwhelmed with school and after school activities.

Many children get anxious before the first day of school because they are thinking about how hard or scary the entire year will be or how their relationships with teachers and peers will turn out. Instead of thinking about the whole year, encourage your child to focus on one day at a time. Staying present is an important part of managing anxiety. Check out this additional resource for child friendly mindfulness tools to help them be in the moment.

Consider seeking out professional help for your child. If they are having attendance concerns, issues with separating from you at drop off, can't concentrate due to worry, or aren’t getting enough sleep at night, it may be time to talk to a therapist. A therapist can help your child with additional coping strategies and can help them shift and reframe their anxious thoughts.