Back to School Stress and Anxiety
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For some patients, the end of summer signals the start of back-to-school stress. Both parents and children may face difficulties during this time. Fortunately, there are ways to ease the transition back to school by re-establishing a set schedule and communicating with children about their anxieties (1).
Establishing consistent morning and bedtime routines is essential for a smooth back-to-school transition. Involving children in creating a predictable schedule and offering positive reinforcement for harder-to-accomplish morning or evening tasks can help parents and children adjust to the new school year with less stress (2). Parents can help their children develop organizational systems, such as a designated study area at home that can be a fun project to do together before the start of the school year.
Finally, let your patient and their family know it is okay to feel anxious about going back to school. Many kids, and even adults, find it tough to adjust to a new school year. Knowing they are not alone, and instilling hope can make a significant difference.
Here are some tools that are useful to manage these anxieties: Heading link
- Access information about screening, diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders in children and adolescents on our website.
- Use a free mental health app. Find the right apps for your patients through our resource page.
- Refer your patient to a cognitive behavioral therapist. Illinois DocAssist Social Workers can vet local resources for your patient.
- Anxiety in the Classroom provides strategies for designing and implementing accommodations for children and adolescents with anxiety in the school setting.
- Child Mind Institute is a great resource for parents to learn more about how to best support their child’s return to school.
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References
- Back-to-school dos and don’ts. Child Mind Institute. (2024, August 6). https://childmind.org/article/back-to-school-dos-and-donts/
- Helping kids back into the school routine. Child Mind Institute. (2024b, January 31). https://childmind.org/article/helping-kids-back-school-routine/