08/28/2025
With the first day of school around the corner, here are some ways to prepare yourself, or your child!📚📌✏️
Make it Fun😁:
Associate positive memories with school by creating traditions such as; having a sleepover with a close friend the night before school or back to school shopping!
Purchasing backpacks, lunch boxes, etc with your child’s favourite character on it can create excitement for school, opposed to nerves. For teens, new clothes, shoes, a new haircut can help them feel like their best self to start the school year!👩🏫
Proactive Planning📝:
Reflect/reflect with your child on struggles you/they faced the previous school year. Did you/they struggle with a certain subject? Time management? 🤔
Think to yourself what could be helpful to contribute to your/their success this year.
If it was struggling with a subject, is it feasible to hire a tutor? Arrange a time with a teacher for extra support? If it was time management skills, would purchasing a planner be helpful? Allocating specific times for homework, extra-curiculars, social outings, and self-care can be an effective strategy. 🗓️
Bad First Day?🚍:
It is normal for the first day of school to be overwhelming and stressful. Validate your child’s experience and provide a listening ear/emotional support. It can be difficult as parents to not want to fix things but, instead of providing solutions, validation and empathetic listening can be the best course of action. This will make your child feel heard and supported. 👂😌
Practicing Grounding Techniques🧘♀️:
Struggling with anxiety is completely normal when about to embark on a new journey, such as a new school year.
Practicing grounding techniques such as; deep breathing, visualizing a happy place, using fidget toys, or wiggling your toes and fingers can help bring you back to the present moment. This can lower anxiety levels when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
