Easing the Back-to-School Transition

The start of the school year is often a bittersweet time: It’s not easy leaving behind the flexibility that summer vacation offers; but it’s also nice to get back into a predictable routine. For some families, however, that routine can be fraught with anxiety.

“Many kids have a difficult time readjusting to the rigors of school,” says Dr. Leslie Bourne, PhD., Director of Behavioral Medicine at Fallon Clinic. “Everything from awakening earlier, to spending the entire day concentrating in class, to managing the demands of homework every night can be stressful. Even the social demands of interacting all day with peers can be exhausting for kids and cause them to feel anxious.”

Parents, too, can find the back-to-school season difficult. “After more than two months of relative flexibility, parents suddenly have to establish tighter rules around bed time, homework and socializing,” explains Dr. Bourne. “Enforcing these new rules isn’t always easy.”

Dr. Bourne offers the following tips to ease the back-to-school transition:

Set clear expectations. Talk with your children about your expectations around homework, bedtime and socializing. Together with them, establish a plan with ground rules that are realistic and that everyone understands.

Establish a homework routine early on. As soon as the school year begins, implement firm guidelines around homework, such as establishing a daily timeframe in which homework is to be completed.

Fit in exercise. One of the best ways to combat stress is exercise. Be sure to build in exercise for yourself and your kids. Signing children up for town or school sports, or putting your teen on your gym membership, for example, can help keep everyone active and reduce anxiety.

Plan family dinners. Whenever possible, sit down with your children at the dinner hour. This is a great opportunity to find out how school is going and identify any potential problem areas.

Set aside time to relax. The start of the school year should not mean the end of fun! Both parents and kids need down time to relax and have fun.

Seek help. If you see that your child is having a particularly difficult time adjusting to the school year, contact the teacher or guidance counselor so they can work with you and your child to find ways to ease stress.