Fall is the season of change: Preparing your family for the school year

As summer winds down, families face the transition back to school. Shifting from relaxed days to structured schedules and renewed responsibilities, the shift from summer into the school year comes with its own challenges for both parents and their children. These challenges can lead to increased anxiety or conflict at home, but there are a few techniques that can help your household navigate this change smoothly.

School Year Routine

Getting back into the school-year routine:

A common struggle that parents face during the school year is getting their children to wake-up on time. One strategy is to start gradually adjusting bedtimes and wake-up times one or two weeks before the start of school. By changing routines in increments of 15-30 minutes, you can mitigate those grumpy mornings. 

Sticking to a daily routine can also help families ease into school-year responsibilities. Creating a predictable schedule or posting visual cues around the house can help your child stay on track. Some examples of visual cues may be posting a family calendar, check list, or sticky note reminders around the house. Knowing what to expect each day can ease child anxiety as they prepare for something new and different. 

Practice Communication

Practicing the use of open-ended communication:

As schedules get busier and we return to commitments, we can sometimes forget to check-in with children during the first few weeks of school. By practicing and maintaining open-ended communication, we increase the likelihood of children expressing vulnerable emotions when they need support. Some examples of open ended questions include:

• What are you worried or excited about?

• What was your favorite part of your day?

• Is there anything you believe will be challenging this year?

If your child is giving short responses, they may need gentle encouragement to elaborate on their emotions. The use of a feelings wheel can provide the child guidance and strengthen their emotional vocabulary. 

Self-care during school year

Self-care: 

Self-care is essential for any time of year, but can easily fall to the sidelines with the start of school. Setting expectations for bedtimes, nutrition, and screen time can ensure that both parents and children feel ready to take on each day. Getting your body moving is also a great way to relieve stress and expend some of that after school energy. 

Putting these practices in place until school becomes familiar again is a great way to support your family during this season of change. Although, even with our best intentions, sometimes a child or adult still struggles with this adjustment.

Even subtle shifts in your child’s mood or behaviors might indicate that they need professional support. Some of these signs may include, but are not limited to:

• persistent low mood;

• social isolation;

• being more quiet at home;

• increased irritability; 

• sudden or intense feelings of anxiety;

• change in school performance;

• recurring physical complaints (headaches, sore muscles, stomach aches, etc.);

• and fatigue or insomnia.

Getting back into the school year can be hard, but accessing mental health services doesn’t have to be. Feel free to give us a call to speak with one of our Client Care Coordinators today.