Combating back-to-school stress

Heading back to school can be an exciting time for many teens — attending new classes, catching up with new and old friends — however readjusting to a busy schedule can cause some teens stress. Here’s how to help if your teen is stressing about the new school year.

• Be supportive — Ask your teen how his or her day went over dinner or when you get home. Discuss any new projects at school or what his or her current challenges or fears are.

• Reiterate good study habits — A great deal of school stress could be related to starting homework or projects at the last minute. Check in with your teen about any big assignments, or offer to help them work on them 30 minutes a week. This way he or she isn’t cramming during a late-night study session.

• Set the schedule early — If your teen has been sleeping in late or spending lots of time vegging out on the couch this summer, help him or her get back in the school groove by setting curfew earlier or limiting socialization with friends to Friday nights and the weekends, just as it would be during the school term.

For more on coping with back-to-school stress and anxiety, join Don Wleklinski, APRN, of Healthy Horizons for a health talk at 12:15 p.m. Aug. 30 inside Siloam Springs Regional Hospital’s Classroom 1. To register, call 479-215-3125 today.

Overcoming over-scheduling

While extracurricular activities can provide a great creative outlet for teenagers and promote teamwork, combined with schoolwork and other responsibilities, your teen could be missing out on the here and now.

• Choose one activity — Your son may want to play basketball and baseball, while your daughter may want to further her dancing and singing skills through ballet and choir. However, these activities may overlap.

Have your child pick the activity that matters the most and which he or she excels to prevent him or her from feeling pulled in too many directions.

• Create a chill-out zone — Teens are constantly connected to the Internet through their cell phones and social media. Have your child take a time-out when he or she gets home. It can be as simple as sitting outside in the backyard, shooting some hoops or having a quiet place in your living room for him or her to listen to classical music or meditate.

Have your teen leave his or her phone at the front door and limit Internet and television screen time to two hours each night.

Resolving mental and emotional health challenges requires expertise, compassion and special care. Faith Berry, MS, LPC, and Don Wleklinski, APRN, offer comprehensive services individualized to each patient and family’s needs. To schedule an appointment, call 479-215-3190.