By Allison Norton
Program Expert, In-Home Services
Youth Villages

It’s back to school for many children across the country, and most of the time leading up to the return to the classroom will be spent on getting physically prepared. Stylish new clothes and shoes. Colorful backpacks with school supplies. And, for the grade schoolers, the all-important lunchboxes with their favorite characters on them.

In recent years, there has been a concerted effort to also prepare children mentally on returning to school. Maintaining routines during the summer months. Getting to bed on time the last couple weeks of vacation. Visiting the school building and grounds to familiarize children with the area.

While the focus is on children’s welfare for the start of school — and rightly so — what about the parents’ well-being? If the parents are not in proper mental health, how can they help their children? The transition into a new school year brings anxiousness and feelings of uncertainty for parents as well, especially if they are sending their first child to school or off to college, or even a new school.

Here are five tips for parents to be ready mentally for the start of school:

1. Take care of yourself first: To take care of your children, you must prioritize your health, both physically and mentally. Keep an eye out for signs of parent burnout like poor sleep, irritability and brain fog. It’s important to get ahead of burnout by making time for the things that are uniquely important to you such as getting to the gym or meeting a friend for coffee.
2. Don’t pass it on: Children are very attuned to their parents. Be careful not to unintentionally pass on your anxiety or stress. Be mindful of your tipping points which are when you’re most likely to show signs of anxiety or stress to your children. If you reach that tipping point, try deep breathing or grounding yourself through listening to your breath. It’s also helpful to take physical space from any direct stressors if you can.
3. Get organized: There are a lot of practical tasks that need to be accounted for at the start of the year. Getting ahead of those logistical pieces eliminates items and ideally stress from your to-do list. Have a plan for getting your child’s back-to-school items together. Consider ahead of time what the transportation plans to and from school are going to be and curate your list of emergency contacts for the days where you’ll need last-minute childcare help.
4. Gain the proper perspective: Starting school — including sending off to college— for the first time or starting a new school can be overwhelming, but you and your child have gotten through hard things in the past. Engaging in positive affirmations about the year to come can settle adult nerves and promote confidence in your children. Affirmations can be done quietly to ourselves or out loud with your children. Say it with me, “We are ready for this new school year!”.
5. Find support: You, nor anyone, can do this alone. We all need help emotionally, mentally or with physical needs when it comes to back-to-school time. If you’re looking to develop a wider support network, join your school’s parent-teacher association (PTA) or talk with a counselor at school related events. It’s a great way to meet families with same aged children. If you’re financially stretched to provide school necessities, there are many organizations and community groups that can help. Reach out to those groups or find a list of organizations from the school’s counselor.

More resources on mental health/well-being tips for parents, click here.

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