Preparing for the Back to School Transition
Takeaway: While the transition back to school can be exciting, parents and students can also experience financial and mental stress. It is important to be honest and seek out help before the situation becomes too much to handle.
It is that time of year when kids transition from swimsuits and sunblock to backpacks and notebooks. As the end of summer approaches, children might also experience a mix of emotions about heading back to school. Some kids might be nervous, scared, or even upset about going back to the classroom. Other kids might feel elated, happy, and even excited about what might occur for them for the upcoming academic year. Regardless of what your child may be feeling, going back to school is a change for them, and it is important to understand how to best help them prepare for the new year.
Not only is this a transition period for your child, this is also one for you as the parent. As a parent, you will be dealing with a new routine, separation from your children, and even some changes in finances to help support your child in a club or sport, or buying new clothes or school supplies for the year. One of the clinicians at Feel Good Counseling Center, Victory Murray, discusses the stressors that families face when transitioning back to school. “The biggest one that I have noticed is the financial stress of going back to school.” The financial toll in families can become more present especially at the start of the school year. According to a survey conducted by Life360 in 2024, the average cost a family spends on school supply shopping is around $458 per child (Porter, 2024). Aside from finances, Victoria mentions that she notices the general anxiety from clients transitioning back to school of “who will be in my classes,” and “who is my teacher going to be.”
So, how can we help our kids and ourselves with this transition? Verywellmind (2024) provides several tips and tricks for helping families with back to school stress. Some of these include:
Prioritizing Self-Care
Communication and Support (i.e. a weekly family meeting)
Creating a Structured Routine
Managing Expectations and Pressure
Building Resiliency and Coping Strategies
“School is going to put stress on families, but we have to remember that we are not alone, and it is okay to ask for help, especially from other parents.” - Hannah Adams, MHP
Parents need to be aware that how they handle stress and challenges will reflect onto the child. “Parents need to model healthy coping,” says Nikhat Bala, Therapist at Feel Good Counseling Center. She explains, “children learn by watching their parents.” This can be modeled by practicing self care, handling our emotions calming, and seeking support when needed. Nikhat Bala expresses, “Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.”
It is important to understand that what you and your family may need is going to look different from what other kids or other families may need, so you might have to try a variety of strategies before finding the right fit. Asking for help might be challenging for some families, but it is helpful if we build a community of support from other parents, seek help from professionals such as teachers and therapists, and do research when and where it is needed.
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