Back to School: Tips for How Parents Can Ease Their Children Back into the Swing of Things

Ask the Expert | By Dr. Treshonda Baucom

They say time flies when you’re having fun, and nothing exemplifies this more than summer.

Family vacations, beach trips, pool days, bowling outings, and summer camps make the days blur together. As we step into August, it’s time to shift gears and prepare our children to return to school.

For some, the idea of setting foot on a school campus once more brings joy and excitement.

However, for others, it can stir up stress and plenty of anxiety. Parents often feel overwhelmed by the growing to-do list of back-to-school shopping for clothes and various supplies. Students, on the other hand, may worry about previous negative experiences at school, new routines, making new friends, and becoming accustomed to new teachers.

Additionally, some children may be transitioning to new schools or moving to new cities and having to get acclimated to unfamiliar environments. After a summer of relaxation, it may be difficult for some to get back into a steady routine, leading to a bevy of different emotions. These feelings can significantly impact mental health, influencing how we think, feel, and behave. So, how do parents cope?

Here are some recommendations for parents to help manage this transition:

• Acknowledge Emotions: Recognize your feelings about the back-to-school season. Employ

coping strategies like self-care, meditation, counseling, and exercise. Exercise in almost any

form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries. Remember, children often mirror our reactions to stress and adopt similar coping mechanisms.

• Monitor Changes: As the expert on your child, take note of any changes in their behavior, such as sleeping more or less, withdrawing, sadness, or irritability. Engage in conversations with your child about how they feel about the upcoming school year. You may be surprised at what you uncover. Remember that kind, respectful, and effective communication will only strengthen the bond you have with your child and can help them convey their true feelings about what is bothering them.

• Prepare in Advance: Start adjusting routines before school begins. Implement regular sleep

schedules and task completion to ease the transition back to everyday school life. This goes for parents too. You don’t want to begin the morning frazzled and with an attitude.

Preparation is key. Also, be sure to attend Meet the Teacher events to help your child familiarize themselves with the school and staff.

By taking these steps, you can help ensure a smoother transition and support your child’s mental well-being as the new school year approaches. Life has its share of hurdles, but returning to school doesn’t have to be one of them. By being prepared and being proactive, parents can aid their children in going back to school and set them up for success for the years ahead.

A licensed mental health counselor and professor, Dr. Treshonda Baucom is the founder and

CEO of Enriched Life Counseling & Consulting, which provides counseling services to children, teens, adults and parents. As a subject matter expert, thought leader and mother of three children, Dr. Baucom has spoken about parenting and the mental health needs of children and teens on many platforms, including WKMG News 6's Breakfast with Bridgett, Monica May's Point of View, Cox Media’s Retrospect, and WESH 2 Morning News.