Once again it is that time of year, summer is winding down and parents and children are gearing up for a new school year. The back-to-school transition can be very anxiety provoking and stressful. As parents, we often times struggle with helping our children cope with the anxiety and stress that a new school year brings.

In addition to the standard tips (establishing a morning and evening routine, keeping extracurricular activities to a minimum, planning “low or no stress” unstructured family or play time, etc.) for assisting your child with adjusting to a back-to school, here are some helpful tips and ideas I found online.  

8 One-minute Anxiety Relief Tools for Kids Big and Small

This is a great list of tips from the Huffington Post. The 8th suggestion about laughing is very important. Helping children take their focus off of the stress trigger is a great way to assist them in redirecting their focus on something else during this stressful transition.

3 Fun Mindfulness Exercises for Kids

Helping children focus on the present rather than dwelling on what is making them feel stressed or anxious is very important. Here are a few fun exercises to help your child accomplish this.

Children’s Books about Worrying

Children’s books can be very helping in teaching important life lessons. Here is a great list of children’s books that focus on worry and stress.

10 Relaxation Techniques for Children

Deep breathing, meditation, exercise…this is a great list of simple things you can do before- and after-school to ease your child’s’ transition from home to school or vice versa.

Practice Yoga with Kids to Improve Patience & Increase Confidence

This blog post includes useful information about how yoga can help children as well as resources for helping parents get started.

What tips do you have for helping children cope with the anxiety and stress of transitioning back-to-school? 

Supporting Your Child Through Back-to-School Stress

Starting a new school year can bring excitement as well as worry, anxiety, and difficulty adjusting to new routines. Parents can help by establishing predictable routines, creating opportunities for relaxation, and giving children space to talk about their concerns. When additional support is needed, professional services can also help children develop practical strategies for managing school-related challenges.

At New Horizons Wellness Services, our team offers services that may support children and families during stressful transitions, including:

● Counseling Services: Counseling can help children understand and manage feelings of anxiety, worry, frustration, or stress related to school and other changes. A counselor can work with children and families on coping strategies, emotional regulation, and practical ways to handle stressful situations.

● Pediatric Occupational Therapy: Pediatric occupational therapy can help children develop the skills needed to participate successfully in everyday routines at home and school. Depending on the child’s needs, therapy may address organization, attention, sensory processing, emotional regulation, self-care, and other functional skills that can make school routines easier to manage.

● Social Skills Groups: Social skills groups can provide children with opportunities to practice communication, cooperation, emotional awareness, and positive interactions with peers. These skills can be particularly helpful for children who experience difficulty navigating the social demands of the school environment.

Every child responds to transitions differently, and some children may need more support than others. By combining predictable routines, healthy coping strategies, and appropriate professional support when needed, parents can help children approach the new school year with greater confidence and readiness. Book a call now!

EDITORIAL REVIEW BY MELODIE ETHEL-KING, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Melodie Ethel-King, OTR/L is a licensed Occupational Therapist at New Horizons Wellness Services with more than 30 years of clinical experience serving children, teens, and adults in community, medical, school, and home-based settings. She specializes in ADHD, autism, sensory processing, executive functioning, handwriting, and self regulation. She has extensive experience helping individuals develop practical strategies that improve participation at home, school, work, and in the community.

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