Here’s How You Can Help Ease Your Kids’ Back-to-School Jitters

These tips will set your family up for a successful school year.

By: Samantha Lande

How to Prep Your Kids for the New School Year

Having a few jitters leading up to the first day of school? Totally normal — especially after the crazy school year our kids just endured.

We spoke with a psychologist, a pediatric mental health specialist, and a learning specialist who shared tips on how to best be prepared for the first day of school, whether your kids are super nervous or just a little anxious.

Address Things from a Place of TLC

Not our TLC, but a place of understanding that all kids are starting from different places! Dr. Rebecca Mannis, a learning specialist for Ivy Prep, reminds us that each kid has a unique T for temperament, with some kids outgoing and others more reserved. L is for learning profile because "some of us make sense of the world [through] conversation, while others of us need time to absorb complex language. Some of us [have] longer attention spans, while other kids need more time and practice to develop routines," she says.

And the C for both context and culture. Different family homes and different schools have different rules and traditions. Approaching strategies with this TLC in mind will help you make better decisions for your family.

Get on a School Routine a Week Before School Starts

Based on that, child psychologist Dr. Gail Gross recommends getting back to routine (whatever that routine looks like for you) about a week before school starts. This may mean waking up earlier than you did during the summer or returning to a more consistent bedtime. It might mean getting back on track with breakfast or re-learning how to pack up for school.

Find a System to Track Activities

Part of getting back into that routine, Dr. Mannis says, is finding a system to track all of the activities. For many, the past year was one with very few after-school activities and sports, but with everything back in full swing, it’s imperative to keep track of all it with less stress. "Whether it’s an oversized paper monthly calendar that you put up on the kitchen wall, or a tech tool such as Evernote or Streaks (a great app for reinforcing new habits and goals), try them out this summer to see which ones have staying power and simplify your lives."

Schedule Playdates with Classmates

One of the biggest deficits that kids experienced this year was the lack of normal socialization with peers and classmates. "Studies show friends really do make a school experience more comfortable," says Dr. Gross. Once you receive your class list, go ahead and reach out to a few parents to set up playdates (outside if that's more comfortable). This way, your kid can head back into school having a few pals in their corner.

Address the Stress

There's no doubt that there have been some extra worries on every parent’s plate, and there still may be some uncertainty moving into the next year. Dr. Gross says to "address the stress." Acknowledge what you are stressed about with your kids (in an age appropriate way, of course), but don’t burden them with your worries. "Kids need to see parents as the center of calm, someone they can turn to."

Give Some Extra Love

Knowing that the first few weeks may take a toll on your kiddos, adding a little extra love into their routine may help. A few longer story times and extra cuddles leading up to school is a great start. Dr. Gross suggests an afternoon snack (even something special like cookies!) their first few days to check-in and see how they feel.

Work on Brain Breaks

Integrative and Pediatric Mental Health Expert Roseann Capanna-Hodge says, "Kids will move from a whole lot of solitary time to a whole lot of stimulation and need to learn how to self-regulate." To do that, you can teach them "brain breaks" or ways to calm their nervous system and regain focus. Help them with diaphragmatic breathing, brain break exercises, and guided visualizations.

"These tools are resources your child or teen can access quickly and easily when they feel overstimulated, overwhelmed, or under-stimulated to get their nervous back on track and ready for learning," she says.

Practice Switching Tasks

Another thing that kids may not be used to after this year? Switching tasks! They spent long hours on Zoom with little need to switch to different formats. "Parents can prepare their children for task switching by getting them to different tasks and/or follow multiple instructions in short spurts," says Capanna-Hodge. "For younger children, that might mean doing an obstacle course a few times a week and for older kids and teens, try giving them a list of chores and tasks that must be done each day in order to earn screen time."

Set Goals

This past year, we were unable to set goals and have things to look forward to in the future because we just didn’t know what it would hold. Discuss goals for the year with your child, whether it be something like making a new friend, trying out a new sport, or mastering multiplication. Discuss those goals throughout the year and be supportive in their quest.

Give Yourself Grace

At the end of the day, returning back to school may feel just as foreign as not being in school (or a very different school format) this past year. Cut yourself some slack as a parent and cut your kid some slack too. For some families, things will pick up as if nothing ever happened, for others it may take more time — both are ok. Keep in mind that neighbors, teachers, and just about everyone is going through this transition — extra compassion for yourself and others will go a long way.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: How to Mentally Prepare Your Kids for School After An Unusual Year, 10 Items That Make the Transition from Preschool to Elementary School Easier, 6 Educational Games You Can Buy For Back-to-School Learning At Home