Back to school can be an anxious transition time for families. The need to reinstate a schedule, implement homework and enrichment and be sure all family member's emotional needs are met can be challenging. We suggest a mindful approach by acknowledging that the transition will take time and eventually fall into a rhythm. Putting value in your families balance by scheduling a time to focus as a family every day will offer great support as you all find a balance together. A fantastic, family friendly resource that our family uses is the book & CD Sitting Still Like A Frog Mindfulness Exercises For Kids (and their parents) by, Eline Snel. We've found that the best time to practice this quiet time is the start of our day and just before bedtime.

Kate Hurley, Author of The Happy Kid Handbook: How To Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World offers these additional suggestions to help parents ease their children back into school.

Feelings of anxiety are perfectly normal and to be expected during times of transition. While many people think of separation anxiety as a problem confined to toddlers and preschoolers, I also see it in elementary and middle school kids. And back-to-school anxiety can occur clear through high school. Some kids are more hard-wired for anxious thoughts and feelings than others. Consistency and routines are always a great place to start when it comes to squashing those back-to-school worries! Try some of these strategies to help your child ease into the new school year:

7 Strategies To Help Your Child Ease Into The New School Year

Attend school (and be early!): While it’s perfectly normal to have worries when starting a new school year, it’s very important to attend school each day. A huge meltdown might have you wondering if you should simply try another day, but avoidance of school will only increase and reinforce your child’s anxiety. Missing school because of anxiety robs your child of the chance to gain mastery, make friends, enjoy a successful school day and develop a relationship with the teacher. [Acknowledging your child's concerns and anxiousness by communicating your care is important. Walking our children up to meet their new teacher then around their new classroom with enthusiasm and reminding them of their centering tool to deep breath are all  strategies that have been effective in our parenting experience.]

Get back to basics: It’s very difficult to feel calm, confident and in control when you are starving or exhausted. Anxiety can cause kids to struggle with sleep and eat a little less. This means that parents have to stay on top of those childhood basics. Set an earlier bedtime for the entire family, make sure each day includes plenty of downtime and provide balanced meals and nutritious snacks with plenty of time to eat. Eating on the run is stressful for [all of us. Check out our great school day breakfast solutions to help your kids start their day off full and happy!]

[We've always tried to value after school free time by not over-scheduling sports and enrichment. Instead being mindful of the natural need for our children to just be...they have so much to process these days. climbing trees, sitting in the sand and open free time to play has always worked to help our kids feel at peace again.]

Allow extra time in the mornings: Anxious children don’t like to be late, nor do they enjoy being rushed. Now that you’ve pushed that bedtime up, your child should be able to wake with plenty of time to eat, get dressed and get ready for the day.

Create healthy nighttime routines: to make the mornings easier. Choosing clothes at night, packing snacks and filling water bottles, packing the backpack and placing it by the door are all time savers for kids. [Creating a checklist for forgetful little people helps them feel in control and more prepared. We sit down with our little ones during the first week of school to decide what should go on the daily checklist.]

Avoid blanket statements: When kids express worries about school, it’s tempting to respond with generic statements such as, “Don’t worry about it!” or “You’ll love it!” These statements rarely provide reassurance for worriers. A better tactic is to address specific worries with your child.
When parents take the time to listen and help children come up with strategies to solve problems, kids feel more confident. If your child is worried about where to sit at lunch, for example, have him draw a map of the lunchroom and discuss possibilities.

Role-play: The best way to gain mastery over worries is to practice taking control of worrisome situations. Have your child create a list of school-related worries and act out different ways to solve the problems. I like to have kids try out two or three solutions per problem so that they always have a back-up plan.

Watch your words: Kids look to their parents for clues. If you appear overwhelmed and anxious on the first day of school, your child is likely to follow your lead. It’s perfectly natural for parents to have worries at the beginning of the school year. Instead of hyper-focusing on the potential negatives or faking it, take the time to talk about feelings and worries as a family. When families work through their feelings together, they empower one another.
Back-to-school anxiety can be stressful for families. More often than not, the anxiety decreases as the child adjusts to the new school year, but if the anxiety persists, be sure to seek other resources.

We wish your family joy and mindful balance this school year! Keep following as AddyPres launches our KIND Campus Program this fall 2017!