Back to school can be an exciting but stressful time for families! Between adjusting to a new routine, managing your child’s emotions about starting the new year, and figuring out how to best support your child’s success, you have a lot on your plate! Here are some tips that may help make the transition a bit smoother.  

1) Plan out bedtime and morning schedules and practice them in the days leading up to school starting. The first day of school is not the best time to discover that you underestimated how long it would take to get out the door! On the last day of summer, celebrate a successful morning routine trial run by going out for donuts or smoothies – everyone already has their shoes on!  

2) Establish a dedicated space for your child to work on schoolwork. Having a comfortable and quiet space separate from a “relaxing” space (bed, couch, etc.) can help your child be more productive when it is time to study or work on homework.  

3) Help your child establish healthy relationships with technology and social media. For younger kids, create a schedule for screentime. If your child is used to unlimited screentime, this may be tough at first, but they will quickly adjust to a predictable routine. For older kids, talk to them about how too much time spent on screens/social media can impact them negatively and encourage them to find ways to regulate their own use to be able to incorporate other ways to spend free time and attend to responsibilities. Don’t be afraid to take your child’s phone if you feel it is interfering with their success at school or their ability to engage in other healthy habits. Games, screens, and social media can be fun ways to unwind, but it is important to put limits on your child’s use and also to model healthy behaviors yourself! Consider having “unplugged” time as a family a few times a week.  

4) Your child may be experiencing some negative emotions about the return to school such as anxiety, fear, and nervousness. It may be difficult as a parent to observe your child feeling this way, but it is important to not try and “fix” things so that your child doesn’t feel these emotions. It is perfectly normal for kids to feel this way when starting a new school year. Encourage your child to express how they’re feeling and instead of trying to eliminate their negative emotions (“There’s no reason to be nervous, you’ll be fine!”), try to validate and accept how your child is feeling (“It makes sense to be nervous, this is a big transition! I am always here to listen if you want to share how you are feeling.”)  

5) Encourage independence! Allow your child to make their own (age-appropriate) decisions. For a younger child, this may look like giving your child opportunities to choose their own outfit or lunch. For an older child, it may be allowing them to decide what sport or extracurricular they would like to get involved in. Another way to foster independence is to guide your child through problem-solving steps, rather than taking over and fixing a problem for them. Allowing your child some autonomy in decision-making and problem-solving helps to build their confidence, identity, and self-esteem.