Back to School Stress

Back to school is a source of stress for many parents, but it’s important to not forget that it can also be for the children. Here are some tips and tricks to help our children overcome the stress of Back to School.

How do our children live the return to school ?

After spending two months of vacation, day camp or outdoor activities, it’s sometimes difficult to resume the pace of the new school year. Parents are of course worried about the reorganization of this busy time of year, but many children and teenagers are also sensitive to the tension caused by the start of the new school year.

The stress that our children live can be manifested in different ways, and the signs are not always very visible. We must therefore be on the lookout to perceive them and thus be able to help our child. For children in early childhood school, there may be more restlessness, lack of appetite, greater insecurity than usual, or difficulty falling asleep. Adolescents, who are more likely to close themselves up when they don’t go well, will appear to be preoccupied, less involved in family life, and may even be more irritable in their relationships with others, such as parents and friends.

What stresses our children?

There is no doubt that stress is different from one child to another and depending on age, but some sources of stress are shared by most:

The fear of the unknown: who will be my teacher? Who will be in my class? Will the atmosphere be good? These are questions that most children and teenagers are asking. If the child changes cycles or goes from lower school to middle school, it’s easy to imagine that this fear of the unknown will become more intense.

External changes: moving, divorcing parents, change in custody, death or sickness of a family member … These factors will make it more difficult for young kids to leave the family cocoon and start his return to school in a relaxed way.

The idea of performance: the desire to have good grades – or not to have bad grades if he has experienced previous failures – and of course the will to succeed in sports and extracurricular activities in which he participates .

Tips for a good life for 5-12 year olds:

Re-establish a routine between supper and bedtime.
Involve your child in shopping for school supplies. He is allowed to make certain choices, when possible, to make him feel involved during this period of preparation.
Spend quality time with your child (even if you are overwhelmed!). Remain available for your child.
Listen to what your young ones tells you and try not to minimize his problems. Even if you feel that he sees things worse than they are, his feeling of anguish is real.

For the 12-16 years old

Spend time alone with your kid doing an activity or a sport that you both enjoy, without television or computer.
If you feel stressed or worried about his return to school, you can try to approach the subject with him.
With his participation, a schedule is established for the moments devoted to school work, leisure and other activities, and, very importantly, sleep.
This schedule is displayed in a common room, such as the kitchen, to ensure that it is respected.
Despite the burden of schoolwork and time spent on activities and recreation, your teenager is required to take time off for family supper. The best way to keep in touch with your kid daily!

For everyone

On school days, get up early enough so that our youngster can have a supportive breakfast and so that you have time to spend a good time with him before arriving at the school, without feeling jostled by the time .

There is evidence that academic achievement is directly related to the quality of relationships students have with their teachers. So if we feel that there is a discomfort, approach the subject with your child and then meet with his teacher or the school principal. Important: avoid taking sides with your child.

Limit the extracurricular activities that your child will participate in. Young people are often full of energy at the end of the holiday and ready to embark on a variety of activities. You must ensure that your child has free time in his / her schedule. Moments where he can simply rest, read, listen to his favorite music or simply play for pleasure and not to perform!