Parent-friendly tips for ‘back to school’ planning

Back to school time is often exciting for both children and their parents, however it can also be a time of stress and anxiety.

Back to school time is often exciting for both children and their parents, however it can also be a time of stress and anxiety. According to Michigan State University Extension, there are several steps parents can take to make sure their children are prepared and relaxed for the new school year and “confident, calm, well-rested children are more likely to have an excellent first day and a fabulous year ahead”.

In preparing for the new school year, parents are encouraged to consider the differences between excitement, nervousness, and real anxiety. At times, parents may unknowingly brush off common signs of anxiety in youth and consider them normal signs of ‘growing pains’, hormonal changes, and imbalances. However, anxiety is a real condition that can appear in common signs such as irritable and angry behavior, trouble sleeping, fatigue, headaches, or stomachaches. Symptoms may also be hidden with children keeping the worries to themselves. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that “7.1% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 4.4 million) have diagnosed anxiety, 3.2% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 1.9 million) have diagnosed depression” meaning it is more common than you might expect. And regardless of whether or not a child has diagnosed anxiety or depression, there can be very real stress and anxiety that accompanies the start of a new school year.

The good news is that there are any number of tips for helping to improve youth mental health at the start of a new school year. Michigan State University Extension gives the following ten steps to help develop ‘confident, calm, and well rested’ students.

• Visit the school in advance of a first day

• Meet the teacher in advance of a first day

• Talk about opportunities and strategies for making new friends

• Be prepared for the full school routine – map it out and talk it through

• Practice the routine to ensure they have what they need and know where to go

• Adjust the child’s summer to align with the school day at least a number of days before school begins

• Think health and safety – on the way to school, during school, and after

• Immunizations and physicals paperwork is often expected prior to day 1

• Plan for healthy meals and making healthy meal choices

• Remember and remind that help and assistance is available at your school!

Luckily, many of these tips can be practiced at home, but if you are looking for children to have more practice with a number of these, 4-H Youth Development is a great place for children to work on their social, physical, and mental skills. Year-round, 4-H is active in various youth programs, County and State Fairs, competitions, and more. Youth from all over Madison County have the opportunity to learn new things and make new friends, all while having fun! And consider this - youth who are involved in 4-H are four times more likely to give back to their communities, two times more likely to make healthier choices, and two times more likely to participate in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities.

We are wishing everyone a wonderful start to a fantastic school year – from all of us at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County! For more information on Cornell Cooperative Extension Madison County, please visit our website and ‘like’ our Facebook page. You can also contact us at 315-684-3001.

PHOTO COURTESY CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION Year-round, 4-H is active in various youth programs, County and State Fairs, competitions, and more.