School has started!

Summer is officially over. Breathe. It’s okay if you don’t have all the school supplies. Stores will restock, and everything will be alright again. Adjusting to earlier sleep routines and carpooling around town are tedious, so take it one step at a time.

How are you all adjusting?

Remember, it’s normal if your kids go through their first days’ worth of school prep anxiety. Especially if they have been virtual schooling for over a year and are starting in-person school again, children are resilient; they will get through this.

Remind them that many kids feel this way, and feeling this way is normal but transient. Ask them if they want to role-play different scenarios with you. However, if you notice they don’t want to talk about their day as soon as they come home from school, let them know you respect their silence and that you are there to speak should they want to later. If they choose not to express themselves verbally, offer them suggestions like drawing it out or writing about it in a journal or a piece of paper they can keep to themselves.

Don’t make such a big deal about their adjustment unless you notice significant areas of concern past the first few weeks of school, like changes in appetite, sleep, and overall mood.

Check-in with you!

How are you handling the transition? For some parents of littles, starting preschool for the first time or transitioning from preschool to elementary or elementary to junior high can be emotional. How do they grow up so quickly?

These moments may bring back memories of your childhood experiences. What were those like for you? For those who may have had difficult times in school, you may get scared that the same will happen to your child. Recognize these fears AND remember that what happened to you does not necessarily mean it will happen to them. If you notice that it’s difficult to process this distinction, talk it out with someone. Much of what you try to avoid with your child comes knocking on your door out of fears from your own experience. Process these fears to find ways to effectively teach your child to avoid scenarios that led you to many important lessons but were painful nonetheless.

Read more about how emotional immaturity in parents can lead to perfectionism in children here.